


Moment Eternity

by sticks_and_scars



Category: Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: Thrawn Series - Timothy Zahn (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - BDSM, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Dom/sub, Extremely Dubious Consent, F/F, F/M, Oral Sex, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Sensory Deprivation, Shameless Smut, Shibari, Spanking, Subspace, Wax Play, Wine as a coping mechanism, Xenophilia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-18
Updated: 2019-01-18
Packaged: 2019-10-11 23:55:15
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 35,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17456693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sticks_and_scars/pseuds/sticks_and_scars
Summary: After a long term relationship ends, Arihnda Pryce finally agrees to attend a play party to broaden her horizons. Then she meets a man who wants to give her everything she's been missing and discovers things about herself she didn't know were true. But there's a catch, there's always a catch.





	1. 6 Underground

**Author's Note:**

> My offering for the random dick challenge, as created in the Thryce Discord channel and organized by the illustrious [ap-trash-compactor](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ap_trash_compactor/pseuds/ap_trash_compactor) who provided generous encouragement while swearing she didn't want spoilers.
> 
> This is un-beta'd and only proofread by myself so be gentle. I don't think I've written 35,000 words about anything ever so this feels kinda good, even if it might be a little messy.
> 
> Please, mind the damn tags. The whole point is exploring a flash-formed D/s relationship. There's major dub-con and those chapters are labeled but the whole thing has a veil of dub-con. 
> 
> I'll reveal my dick (heh) at the end of the appropriate chapter. Uhm...I think that's it?
> 
> Away we go!

_I've got a head full of drought | Down here | So far off of losing out | Round here | Overground, watch this space | I'm open to falling from grace_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eBZqmL8ehg)

“Arihnda, just trust me ok? You look hot! And no one cares anyway. You’ll see!”

“I can’t believe I let you talk me into this.” Arihnda couldn’t quite fill the words with conviction but felt obligated to provide some protest. If she was honest, she was anxious because of anticipation, not fear. 

Juahir smiled in return to her roommate, “do these look even?”

Arihnda rolled her eyes and spared a glance down at her friend’s chest, quickly judging the position of the glittery pink stars covering her nipples.

“They’re fine.”

Her smile grew even more, “I know, I just wanted to make you blush.”

Arihnda’s eyes rolled harder, in equal proportion to the growth of Juahir’s smile.

“Regretting this already…” she mumbled in a sing-song tone. “I need a drink”

“Oh stop! Come back here. We need a holo together.”

Acquiescing, Arihnda turned back, wrapped her arm protectively around her waist and forced a small grin as Juahir snapped a few holos. A quick review before she could continue back to the kitchen for that drink. 

“Better than mortal man deserves!”

Arihnda had to admit they both looked good despite the foreign nature of her own wardrobe for the evening, or, lack thereof.

The bra top was a somewhat normal triangular shaped top with three straps on both sides covered in buckles and metal loops providing just a peak of skin to the outside of her strategically covered nipples. Each strap was riveted to a thick band around the bottom that sat at the top of her ribs. The straps over her shoulders were more of the same buckles and loops. 

The harness around her waist was constructed of similar materials: one belt sat just below her navel, a pair around the juncture of her hips to her thighs, another small band connecting down the flare of her hip to a more simplistic band around the top of her thigh where she had connected delicate black nylon thigh-highs with a dark black seam bringing the eye up to her ass perfectly framed by the straps around her hip/thigh connection. Under the complex harness she wore a simple black shimmersilk in a bikini cut that moved like a second skin despite all of the compression provided by her other garments. 

It was leather, and metal, and buckles, and it made her feel strong and in control of her body, and sexy. The dark blue of the leather contrasted with the yellow undertones of her skin and the black platform boots gave her extra height, not that she was short, but more that the added inches made her feel even more like a different woman, or maybe Arihnda but enhanced.

He would have thought she looked like a whore. But his opinion was completely irrelevant now. And so what if she looked like a whore? It was what she wanted and there was absolutely nothing wrong with being in control of her sexuality. 

She only agreed to go because she had finally grown tired of the work-sweat pants-wine-sleep-work cycle since Ottlis had broken off their relationship.

She was ready for something completely new, completely opposite of everything they had together.. 

An eccentric rich man, rumored to be a pirate, put on massive play parties at luxury yacht and Juahir had been attending for years. Getting Arihnda to attend was Juahir’s way of forcing Ari from her comfort zone. If she was being honest with herself, she had always been curious about such parties but there was no way her previous boyfriend would have even entertained the idea. 

The more she thought about it, the more confidence started to offset anxiety.

Before she made it to the liquor cabinet, the house comm chimed. 

“Hello?”

A deep, throaty voice replied, “First I'm going to rip the buttons off your blouse, one by one...then run my tongue along your neck, down to your bare, gleaming breasts…”

She recognized the voice immediately and had to punch the “mute” button before erupting with laughter, “Juahir, it’s Driller!”

Knowing it would take Juahir a moment to take over, she couldn’t resist listening in some more: “...and then slowly pull your pants off inch by inch and lick your belly in circles, further and further down...then I'll pull off your panties with my teeth…”

The laughter was about to boil over and she was starting to feel embarrassed for Driller so she put on an angry tone, “who is this?!”

Silence for a few beats. “Oh my god! Arihnda! Oh, kriff. Stang, I’m sorry. I thought you were...can I talk to Juahir?”

“Sure thing Driller.” As Juahir took the comm, Arihnda started putting together her drink and overheard Driller repeating “First I’m going to rip the buttons off your blouse...” 

Giggling to herself, she grabbed the whiskey she brought back from her last trip to Lothal, a ridiculous name - Doonium - but it was something the planet had in spades. It didn’t compare in flavor to that of most types from Corellia but it also didn’t compare in price and always provided a small comfort of home even if she maintained she hated the her home world. 

She dropped a sugar cube into the bottom of her short glass and stirred it with a few dashes of bitters. Topping it with ice and then a healthy pour of bourbon, she lifted the cocktail to her lips and took a moment to enjoy the blissful warmth it carried through her body. 

“I still don’t know how you drink that stuff. It’s so...old man!”

She merely huffed a laugh and took another long pull while Juahir made a quick mix of some clear alcohol and juice. 

“So, how’s Driller?” She smirked over the glass, waiting until Juahir took a sip to ask the question, with a knowing quirk of her dramatically made up eyebrow.

Coughing as the drink went down the wrong way Juahir managed to respond, “you heard?”

“He got to ‘pulling down your panties with my teeth’ before I couldn’t take it anymore and let him know I wasn’t you.”

“We don’t even sound that similar! Boys, I swear. Anyway, he’ll be here in just a few minutes to pick us up.”

“Good, good” Arihnda nodded with a touch of apprehension coloring her tone.

“Don’t be nervous Ari! It will be so much fun. The nice thing about these private events is everyone knows the rules. So much better than those big public events on the mid levels. Those are fun but, ugh, I would never let you go dressed like that. Too many creeps who can’t keep their hands to themselves. Excellent being-watching, though. But no fun for playing.”

Playing, Arihnda thought, such a loaded euphemism. It had such a childish connotation in her head but this was anything but kid’s stuff. Juahir gave her a bit of a preview and, mixed with her own research into these events, she thought she had a pretty good idea of what she could expect.

She was dead wrong. But she wasn’t upset in the slightest.

Driller pulled the speeder up to private shuttle platform that would take them up to the luxury yacht in low orbit around Coruscant. A valet opened Arihnda’s door in the back first, offering a gloved hand in assistance while Driller skipped around to help Juahir from her seat. The high waisted corset skirt Juahir had opted to wear limited her mobility and definitely made the mechanics of sitting/standing all the more difficult as it stretched from her knees to just under her ribs. Arihnda supposed that was the purpose of the so called “hobble skirt”. The ladies donned heavy coats and boarded the shuttle. 

A short ride later they were debarking into a hall with an opulent wooden door, not the normal vertically lifting durasteel normally found on space vessels, framed by free-standing candle holders with over a dozen black and white candles dripping slowly along the sides. 

“Oh!” A slight gasp came from Arihnda as she saw the stands were wide at the base and not on the floor but on the backs of two thin but toned humanoid men wearing full face masks and black thongs, and nothing else. Neither reacted in the slightest as the wax drops fell onto their skin. 

Wax was one of those things she had always wanted to try. The idea of being used as furniture was further down on the list but the idea made a warmth, not attributed to her earlier cocktail, begin to build low her in body.

Juahir, without missing a beat, caught Arihnda’s elbow and whispered into her ear, “pets of the host”

“It’s a striking visual, no mistaking the intent of the evening I suppose.”

“No, definitely not,” she giggled. “Let’s get inside and out of these coats.”

After Driller had spoken to the Zeltron at the door handling attendance, as if the addition of her pheromones was even necessary to ensure all those who entered were in a heightened state of sexual desire and awareness, they passed through the doors and into a long hall that was every bit as ornate as the doors would lead one to believe. Crystal chandeliers hung low every few yards, filling the room with a gentle, inviting glow but not brightness. 

The ladies made their way to the bag check where Juahir shimmed out of her coat with her back to Driller. He watched with rapt attention as she slowly slid it down her back and hips to reveal the hole in the back cut around her ass. A spanking skirt, Arihnda recalled. Apparently Driller wasn’t in on the surprise because his eyes became as wide as saucers as he took in the teasing sight.

Something like a growl escaped his throat as he slipped the coat from her arms and handed it, along with a large leather bag containing a number of “toys”, mostly a variety of floggers and other impact implements, to the Bith behind the counter, but not before he took a slender crop with a leather rose at the end and hooked it onto his belt. 

“So, anything you want to do or see first?” Juahir asked through giggles as Driller nuzzled her neck from behind. 

“I think I would really love to see...the bar.”

They entered the main hall and Arihnda was taken aback by the enormity of the room and everything happening.

Blessedly the bar was located in the corner nearest the door. She took a moment to scan the room, hall, arena? It was a massive open space, sunken from the entryway by just a few steps. The walls were covered in an opulent wallpaper with swirling pattern she wanted to touch, as it looked velvety and soft, with golden crests spaced in a diamond pattern throughout. 

Raised platforms, even in height with the entryway, were spaced all around the walls with equal space between containing various pieces of equipment or furniture for the use of attendees. They appeared to each have a semi-private purpose with screens, curtains, or other sheer material providing some shielding from the room at large. She wondered what might happen in those little booths but figured it was pretty obvious. 

Down the center of the room was another row of platforms, each had a ring of people around them watching various performances or dancers, defying gravity on poles that stretched to the ceiling or silks that hung down. There were two main walkways where people seemed to mill around, some joining the crowds at a specific dais, others watching everything for a short time before moving on to the next.

To top off the room like a crown was a balcony that went half the length of the walls and appeared to cross above the entrance.

She marveled at the level of comfort so many people had with their bodies and activities. She was shaking just a little, from the cold or the rush of adrenaline from walking around mostly naked, or both.

The bar was a surprisingly modern addition to the room, all clear shelves with red lights hidden under every surface, blanketing the area with sinful intent. The Twi’lek bartender, a female with green skin and white shining band covering the top of her head and base of her lekku, smiled appreciatively at Arihnda after taking a long look up and down. “Creepy Yeha, right? I love her work.” As she stepped back she gestured to the transparent pink and crystal outfit that jingled with every movement clearly of the same brilliant mind. “What can I get for you, love?”

Arihnda held strong under her gaze but felt the blood creep into her cheeks. She had never been looked at in such a manner by a female before and it stirred something inside of her that she had long buried, long before the relationship that sucked up so much of her vitality. But this Twi’lek with soft curves and scheming eyes? Arihnda wouldn’t mind if she kept looking.

“Oh, yes, thank you. I would like an old fashion,” distracted by the woman, she sharply added “Doonium! Please.”

“First time here?” The Twi’lek asked while finishing the drink with a nice heavy pour.

“Yeah, first time. My friends are over there,” gesturing in the general direction of Juahir and Driller who seemed to be in an intense but still light debate about something, his hand creeping down the curve of her hip towards her exposed backside, “convinced me to come. I’ve been sort of stuck in a boring long relationship that recently ended. I guess this is my ‘release back into the wild’.” 

The previously suppressed blush was now in full force - she was grateful for the red light which would hide the coloring of her cheeks.

“Sorry, you probably don’t need to know my life story.” The Twi’lek placed the glass in front of Arihnda on a napkin and gave a warm smile.

“No worries, love, it happens. Part of the territory - but I figured as much. You have that mix of uncaged-nexu and eopie-in-the-headlights. You’re going to turn some heads tonight.” And she nudged her chin in the direction of a man standing in the shadow of the bar not exactly leering but studying her over the top of his glass. “If you find yourself having a boring time though, come back to me and I’ll keep find some way to keep you occupied.” 

_Well, that’s new._

Grinning from ear to ear, confidence bolstered, “Yes, of course.” She responded with full eye contact as the other woman’s lekku twitched. 

“Rinna, you want to go walk around? Oh, hey Hera, great to see you!” Juahir leaned across the bar and kissed the Twi’lek, Hera, on the cheek. 

“Hey love! I see you brought a friend,” she winked at Arihnda who had taken a deep swig in an attempt to settle the fluttering in her stomach “keep an eye on her. I know I will be.”

Juahir rolled her eyes dramatically without any negativity. “Of course Hera. Anything we should check out tonight?”

“Hmm,” she feigned contemplation, using it as cover to steal another long glance at Arihnda as if analyzing some bit of untold information, “There’s a food throwing scene happening later. Ever throw a cupcake at a woman’s bare ass? Surprisingly fun.” She winked, “or some burlesque acts - I think there’s a sexy clown going on in a few. But...no, I think she might enjoy the Chiss’ wax demo on the purple platform, it’s starting soon.” Chiss was said with the tiniest of sneers, a contrast to her otherwise cheerful, if not overly forward, demeanor. 

“Oooh! Excellent! Thank you! We’ll swing back by soon for another round. Cheers!”

Taking one more beat to catch Hera’s eye, Arihnda smiled and turned towards the room, steeling herself to become a part of the sea of sex and kink, not just a distant observer.

“So, Arihnda, anything you want to see or do? We’re here for you tonight.” Juahir asked from over her left shoulder after they descended the steps, _into the pit_ , she thought wryly.

“I think I’d like to see the wax demo but you don’t have to follow me around. I promise I’ll be ok.”

“No way! We couldn’t do that to you.” Her protest was sincere enough but Arihnda knew that she and Driller had a something planned; they seemed anxious to get started.

“Juahir, go, I’m a big girl, I can handle myself.” She insisted and meant it entirely - being a third wheel was never her idea of a good time anyway.

“Or you can find someone to do that for you” Driller interjected, unhelpfully but in good spirit.

“Yeah, like that bartender, right?” Arihnda quipped.

A smile broke across Juahir’s face, “Right”

“Shoo you two. Go do...whatever it is you’re going to do. I think this demo is about to start anyway.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I ripped off an entire scene from Terminator. I have no shame in my homage.
> 
> Arihnda's outfit: [Creepy Yeha](https://creepyyeha.storenvy.com/collections/1513184-bottom/products/17145126-sui-bottom-frame-black-gold). Hera's outfit is also a vague description of one of her crystal designs.


	2. Between Breaths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wax. Lots of wax.

_Do you remember the first time? | Time stopped then sped so fast | In just three minutes you were | Mine_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ulcxkktvPw)

 

Juahir leaned forward to give Arihnda a peck on the cheek then vaguely gestured to her right indicating where she might be able to find them but at this point Arihnda had stopped listening. On the raised platform, much like the bar with the under lighting to create an appearance of floating on light, the violet glow intensified as the participants for the demo were brought out.

Two humans - a male with a barely controlled mop of sandy brown hair and sun kissed skin with a pale female with dark hair pulled into a severe top knot took a moment to smile at some people they recognized around the stage before turning to each other to have a small private conversation. 

Their bodies gleamed slightly in the dim light and she noticed they were both completely devoid of body hair. She wondered if this was practical or aesthetic. Not that it mattered, she opted for the same, but thought wax and body hair might be an uncomfortable mix.

Coming up to her knees, the platform was just high enough that spectators could easily look down upon the participants as they took their positions on the black fabric draped across the dais. All around the perimeter were lit candles and with a snicker Arihnda realized they were the same candles she would see lit at church when her mother would drag her along as a child. 

_Religious rights take all forms_ , she thought with a deep exhale, grateful for the realization taking some of the gravity from the moment. She hadn’t realized how hard her heart was pounding.

But that brief reprieve would be insufficient when she saw the next person step onto the stage. He was truly the nexu in the room, moving with grace - and a predatory edge that could take over in a snap with no warning.

He padded over to the humans who had been reclining on their elbows, following his movements, seemingly in a trance as well. She thought it was a tender moment that almost felt too intimate when he stroked the cheek of the man using this side of his index finger then lifted his chin then continued down his neck, which had been helpfully thrown back in a shiver, and then pressed a dark hand against the other’s chest until he laid flat on his back.

Arihnda’s own hand automatically when to her chest where she idly rubbed back and forth across the dip in her collar bone.

The woman received the same treatment. After she had settled onto her back, the dark skinned man, she wasn’t sure of his skin color just that it was dark and not human, turned his eyes - bright red and glowing, something she had never seen before but thought it was oddly fitting in this room of diffused lights and neon glows - and locked them on her. This must be the Chiss, she thought to herself, recalling who Hera said was running the demo.

Whether he was looking her in the eye or watching the hand at her chest she couldn’t be sure as the lack of pupils made it difficult to discern his exact focus but she knew, without a doubt that he was looking at her.

It made her shiver and caused fire to pump through her veins all the same.

Body also gleaming in the soft light but where the others were full nude, the Chiss wore a pair of military style pants that sat low on his hips, framing the vain lines of “Apollo’s belt” Arihnda had always found ridiculously sexy, he lifted the first candle to his mouth, and while still gazing in Arihnda’s direction, pursed his lips in a sort of kiss, and blew out the flame. 

Fixing his attention back to his purpose, he knelt between the naked forms who had linked hands, lifted the candle up to his kneeling chest height, and slowly tipped the glass over the man’s stomach.

Anticipation coiled inside of Arihnda as she waited for the wax to crest over the lip of the container. She caught herself holding her breath along with the man under the candle, both waiting for the moment to come crashing down.

The dark wax cascaded in a liquid stream and splashed against the man’s torso where it pooled between the creases of his abdominal muscles before traveling in rivulets towards his center when he arched against the sudden assault. He composed himself quickly and laid flat again with a slight whimper - a divine mix of pain and pleasure. 

The pour was brief. In the time it took for the wax to cool and form against skin, the Chiss passed the candle to the other hand and repeated the action on the woman, the pour his singular focus. 

It was no less hypnotic - the wax crashing against her skin. Muscles in her torso contracted then expanded causing the wax to spread out in all directions, mapping a trail of delightful anguish down her ribs. 

A quick moment to check in with his subjects to ensure the temperature was comfortable enough and that there wasn’t too much splashing in unwanted directions, the performance continued.

The candles grabbed from around the stage were no longer lit, no longer contained a wick, but were melted from top to bottom all the same. She had no idea who had modified them or when but she would probably miss a Wookiee running in circles directly in front of her.

The next pour started on the woman and was held lower as he hovered above the delicate flesh pulled tight as her breasts slightly dipped to either side.

Breath hitching in anticipation, completely in tandem between Arihnda and the woman, the Chiss dragged a finger down the intended path then gently released a stream of hot wax down the same. This one lasted longer and crossed paths with the previous - this time the wax flowed up along her collar bones and back down across her shoulders as well as down lower, pooling at her navel.

Turning to the man, he repeated the process, mirroring the action with similar results: a cascade up and over then down and across in a crude form of a harness.

A few more candles went in this way, one then the other, then back again. Mid thigh to shin, more on the shoulders, outside of hips.

The nipples of the man were teased into points before they being encased in wax, resulting in a moan stifled by a bottom lip painfully clenched between teeth.

The woman’s reaction was much less restrained, much more entertaining. She hissed in a breath then bounced her legs a few times. It was subtle but Arihnda noticed the way she turned in her knees, seeking any sort of friction between her legs.

Arihnda caught herself shifting her weight back and forth for the same reason.

A smile pressed the glowing eyes into slits. There was no malice, merely humor and enjoyment. Then the grin turned sinister and the woman seemed to know what was going to happen next. She took a series of deep breathes, released in a hiss through tightly clenched teeth, to center herself while another candle was retrieved. Running a palm down the side of her face and plucking an errant splatter of wax from her hair, the man dragged a thumb across her nearly quivering lips then tucked it between her lips.

Arihnda shared in the moment, enjoying the view of tension on the woman’s face with the other’s large hand cradling her chin, his digit providing a distraction for her mouth.

Shifting his gaze towards her hips, seeming to understand what was required of her, she pressed down on her hips and gently arched her back as wax was poured across her left hip bone, then the right, the bend in her spine causing a thin river of wax to flow from both sides towards her tender mons with a delicate thread of wax gliding over her velvety labia.

A brief moment of adjustment and the woman nearly screamed against the thumb in her mouth. More wax. More screaming dissolving into moans.

Arihnda could feel the shimmersilk covering her own cunt becoming slick.

This abandonment of control, this surrender. It was….it was what she had been suppressing for years. A partner lacking imagination and thinking that doggy style was the pinnacle of kink, she gave up before even starting to explore what she might need sexually beyond a mechanism to orgasm.

Snapping back to the present, Arihnda watched as the male participant was gently coaxed into a position where he was sitting up on his knees with hands planted directly behind his feet creating a sort of triangle shape. She noticed his erection standing proudly as his hips were pushed forward. Then a wave of wax fell down his abdomen and flowed around the base of his cock, just barely reaching his balls before cooling. The straining of his muscles was mesmerizing, the way they locked when the wax fell and released as the pleasant warmth wrapped around the lower section of his shaft.

The spell was broken when the man with the glowing eyes repeated the same ritual from the beginning, a tender graze of the cheek and a firm hand helping them into position. His muses slowly rose to standing, their canvases breaking and cracking, large chunks falling to the ground. Helping them safely from the platform and to their escorts, the man took a moment to appreciate the aftermath of his work. Then he turned to Arihnda, “hello there, are you enjoying yourself this evening?”

Blinking a few times to fully bring her mind back to her body, she responded, “Oh, yes, certainly. That was a lovely performance.”

He huffed a small laugh, at her expense or in a self-deprecating way, she wasn’t quite sure but before she could analyze it too far he continued.

“Ah, thank you. Eli and Karyn are truly fantastic for wax play.”

Not entirely sure how to navigate this space but wanting to keep his attention, she asked “Are they your, erm, partners?”

That laugh happened again, just as ambiguous as before.

“In a sense, I suppose. We don’t play much outside of these events, never really. But they’re together, probably off fucking in one of the other spaces. Hopefully they remember to put a cloth down, I don’t want Hondo blaming me when wax ends up in his cushions.” He trailed off, “Sorry, where are my manners. Would you like a personal demo? I do believe I have a few candles left and you seemed to have more than a mild curiosity.”

She looked down at her outfit, thinking about how much time it took to get buckled into everything.

Understanding her apprehension he gestured to the smooth and bare expanse of her arm. “You need not worry about your garments, your arm would be sufficient. Not the full experience but I suppose that might be a bit much for you right now anyway, yes?”

She nodded and trilled a high slightly awkward laugh, “Yes, probably, this is all...a lot to take in.”

“May I?” He looked pointedly at her arm and she quickly obliged, remembering how important consent was in every interaction within this community, especially among strangers. He delicately took her by the elbow and led her to the stair up to the platform. “First time?”

She nodded and took a seat on a plush cushion that had been brought out at some point in the last few moments. It was also draped in the black fabric that had a bit of a crinkle to it when she moved, likely backed with some sort of resistant barrier.

He knelt beside her and again took her elbow. “You know the color system, at least?”

She felt that was added with some condescension but he had started running the back of his fingers up and down her outstretched arm, which was incredibly distracting in her heightened state. The small amount of stimulation teetered on an explicit overture. 

Licking her lips, she respond“Green for good, yellow to slow or adjust, red to stop immediately.”

“Excellent. I’m going to warm up your arm a little more and apply a bit of oil to make the wax easier to remove. Green?”

“Green” 

He turned over her wrist and asked, “would the inside of your arm be permissible? It might be a little more sensitive but I think you’ll find it more enjoyable.”

“I’m not worried about a little pain,” she was surprised those words came out so naturally and added, “so I’ll defer to your knowledge.”

He scrutinized her face, those unsettling eyes focusing on her entirely, or so she thought. He nodded and went back to running his fingers up and down, up and down, elbow to wrist while delicately applying pressure to stimulate blood flow.

“You have lovely skin, a beautiful canvas,” he noted absently then brought his eyes back to hers. “Are you ready?”

“Yes, please...yes, I’m ready.” Nerves catching up with her as she spoke but a deep breath settled them and she nodded again in affirmation.

An unreadable look passed over his face again. He was frustratingly stoic.

“Keep your arm pointed down at this angle ok? I’m going to start up here,” he ran his thumb just below the bend of her elbow and she thought about that thumb previously between the lips of, was her name Karyn?, providing stimulation and a distraction.

Sliding his hand down, making contact all the way to her finger tips, he lifted the candle about a foot above his target.

Holding her breath in anticipation, she decided to watch his face instead of focusing on the wax, preferring to experience the surprise.

At the moment of contact she sucked in her lower lip and bit down to stifle a moan but sound from low in her throat escaped. 

The corner of the the man’s mouth quirked up in a very appealing way. “It seems you enjoyed that but I do need to ask: green?”

“Mm, yes, green.”

“Shall I continue?”

“If you wouldn’t mind.”

“I assure you it would be my pleasure.”

She continued to focus on his face as he poured again - the way his brows drew towards each other, just slightly, in concentration, and appreciating the geometric planes of his face that seemed to be constructed in perfect proportions. This one lasted longer and cascaded down her wrist, cooling into a solid just before reaching the heel of her hand.

A more complete moan escaped.

“The wrist is an erogenous zone often overlooked. It appears you have suffered great neglect of an area that clearly brings you pleasure.” Carrying on as if he hadn’t just made an extremely intimate, if not completely accurate, observation stated as fact. “If you’d like, I could continue until you say otherwise?”

A pleasant pulse echoed through her body, settling in her core, amplified by the man’s accent that Arihnda absolutely could not place.

“Kriff,” she whispered, hoping it was inaudible, “that would be great.”

“I must say I am impressed by your focus, many prefer to watch the mechanics, for which I could gladly provide instruction, but I feel it would be wasted as I get the feeling you would not be topping in such scenes anytime soon.” Sometime in the middle of his statement he rotated her arm just slightly and poured again in a series of short streams like an ellipse, hopefully leading to continuation. 

One more exquisite pour that ran over her palm and dripped from her index and middle fingers.

The man made a sound that landed somewhere between comical and “interesting”. 

She looked down at the way the white wax had dried on her two fingers, lightly binding them together. 

“Oh” was all she managed at first, “that’s...suggestive.”

“Quite. A beautiful canvas indeed. I do believe that concludes our demo. When you’re ready, I will assist in removing the wax, if you’d like.”

She rotated her arm around, enjoying the patterns the wax had created and flexed her fingers experimentally to see how the temporary cast flexed without cracking.

“What’s the most effective method?” She asked, distractedly, still occupied by thoughts of dripping wax and dark hands on her pale skin.

“A sharp knife and a steady hand.”

That did it. “Excuse me?” she snapped with more astonishment than intended, any attempt to keep her cool lost.

“It is admittedly a method to be shared between more established partners but I’ve found it often serves to increase arousal for the most submissive, surrendering control in such a precarious situation. However, for now I can use a credit chit which is surprisingly effective.”

“In that case, yes, please your further assistance would be appreciated.”

“It is no bother. The oil I applied should make the process easier so you can be on your way.”

He made quick work of the wax, most of it falling away in large pieces and only needed to scrape with the chit in a few places to release the most stubborn of fallout.

“Oh, I have nowhere else to be. My friends are off doing a scene of their own. I told them not to worry about babysitting me. I’m sure I can find something else to occupy my time.”

“Nonsense, you will allow me to show you around and perhaps buy you a drink.”

He wiped down her arm with a damp cloth smelling softly of citrus and antiseptic. 

“Will I now?” She appreciated his straight forwardness in this situation but still felt obligated to provide some sort of resistance.

Standing to his full height, he reached out a hand and helped her up. “Yes, I believe you will.” He leaned in closer his warm breath sending a chill down her spine, “and I also believe that won’t be the last time I’m right about what you actually need before our evening is over.”

That throbbing was back, rushing blood dulled her hearing.

He took her elbow once again and guided her back to the bar where Hera was conversing with a dark skinned human, wrapped from ankle to neck in a shiny material that moved as a second skin. The woman was tall and clearly had no insecurities about it as she confidently stood in death defying platform heels. 

Hera nodded to the customer who glanced over at Arihnda and the Chiss, lingered on Arihnda a bit longer, then turned to glide away from the bar as if she were floating on a repulsor. 

“Hera, good evening” a polite bow at the waist, “my companion and I would each like an Old Fashion, please, but with Whyren’s if you would be so kind.”

She rolled her eyes and muttered what sounded like “smug bastard” under her breath before smiling at Arihnda while gathering the ingredients. 

“It would seem the wax demo I recommended was indeed your speed.” Looking over her shoulder at the man she continued, “you’re not the only one who can read people.”

“I get this feeling that everyone knows what I want except for myself” Arihnda laughed, trying to dispel some of the tension building between the other two.

Hera turned back to her task, blue and yellow lights now alternating above the bar, each bringing out the opposite tone in the Twi’lek’s emerald skin.

“I have never doubted your instincts or skills, Hera.” Even though it was stated with complete sincerity, Arihnda saw Hera take the compliment like a blow.

“Sure” she responded, keeping her tone in check.

Passing their drinks over the bar, Hera brushed her fingers against Arihnda’s as she grabbed the glass. “Don’t forget my offer, love, if you get bored come back to see me and we’ll find something worthy of your time.”

“Th...thank you”

Arihnda’s mouth was suddenly quite dry and drank deeply to solve the problem, then widening her eyes in surprise as she realized this one wasn’t made with her normal whiskey but the more complex, and if she was honest, delicious, Whyren’s Reserve. She clearly wasn't paying attention when he ordered, Hera was rather distracting even when standing still.

Directing her attention elsewhere with a simple application of pressure on her elbow, the Chiss turned her from the bar, and Arihnda was grateful to put some space between them and Hera. There was clearly something else passing between the two that she honestly didn’t want to dig into right now. This was a night to forget, not immerse herself someone else’s drama.

“Thank you for the drink. How did you know?”

“You’re very welcome, and I want to apologize about that exchange. Hera and I have a complicated past that I won’t bore you with. More of a professional rivalry if nothing else but it’s no matter. It would seem this particular kerfuffle is seeded in a bit of jealousy over you.”

Arihnda’s brows drew together in confusion but he continued.

“You don’t seem to understand just how many people have been watching you this evening. Beyond being new, and therefore a mystery with infinite possibilities, you are absolutely stunning.”

“But there are people running around in less than myself, surely that has to count for something?” 

He abruptly turned to face her and ran a knuckle across her collarbone, up to her shoulder and brushed the bottom of her bluntly cut bob, “as I said, mystery.”

Lifting his drink to take a small sip, he finished, “and to answer your question, I saw you set down your glass, I caught the whiskey on your breath, and figured you would opt for something a little sweet and a little tart.”

“You are frustratingly perceptive, has anyone told you that before? How am I supposed to maintain any semblance of mystery around you?” Arihnda said over the top of her own drink, only taking a small sip, noticing the alcohol was already affecting her filter.

He smirked, then pursed his lips as to contain a laugh. “Your candid nature is endearing. Come, let us explore the upper balcony.”


	3. Bliss

_Forgive me, but I’m drawn to those who | Share a sin before they embrace | Come to me, for I made this | Moment just to your taste_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kArgaICdmoU)

“Thrawn! My dear boy, good evening to you. Come, come,” the Weequay immediately flagged them down when they had exited the stairwell onto the balcony that wrapped around the great room, featuring a few platforms set well back from the railings.

The Chiss had a name and apparently it was Thrawn. She expected something more...exotic but thought it a silly thing find disappointing.

“Ah, hello Hondo, good evening to you as well,” the Chiss bent forward to shake hands with the exuberant man draped in gold chains and scarves made of luxurious materials with a black cap covering his head.

“Is your demo over already? Ah! I missed it. Next time, next time. Eli and Karyn were bottoming for you, yes? They better have put a blanket or towel down before crushing wax into my pillows or I’m sending you the bill! HA! I’m joking, I’m joking. Unless it’s one of the gold threaded ones, then I absolutely must recover my cost! Cannot have that eating into my profits!” The Weequay carried on without taking a single breath. Arihnda idly wondered if their anatomy allowed for a greater lung capacity than that of humans.

As he opened his mouth to likely begin another rant, he inhaled sharply through open lips then slammed his teeth shut, making a tsk-ing sound in the back of his throat. “My my my, I apologize for my lack of manners, I did not realize I was in the presence of such beauty, such wonder! Good evening madam, I am Hondo Ohnaka and I would like to officially welcome you to my humble gathering this evening.” He took Arihnda’s right hand, bowed deeply, and kissed her knuckles, holding his pebbled lips to her skin just a beat longer than was comfortable but she didn’t get any threatening intention from him so she figured it was merely a quirk, of which he likely had many.

“Thank you for this lovely event, though I must say ‘humble’ is not the word I would use to describe the evening.” She punctuated her statement with a light chuckle.

“Ooh now, you shame me! This is the more intimate version of my gatherings! You will come back for the spring bacchanalia, yes?” Turning to the Chiss, he repeated the question, “Thrawn, she will be coming back for that one, yes?”

“We had yet to discuss much past the next few moments,” he gazed down upon her with those glowing eyes and seemed to make up his mind about something, “but I am optimistic about her future attendance.”

Arihnda glared at both men, wondering who decided that she no longer was a part of this conversation about her future plans.

“Excellent, excellent.” He turned back to the raised dais where a Faleen woman was beckoning him over with a crooked finger while seductively running her other hand across the ass of a pale yellow Mirialan. “Ah, it would seem I am becoming derelict in my duties to those lovely creatures. I must bid you a farewell for now,” he took Arihnda’s hand again and planted another kiss then reached over to Thrawn, pressing their cheeks together in an airy kiss. Arihnda thought she heard Hondo whisper something but couldn’t be sure. “Always a pleasure, Thrawn, please, enjoy your evening!” Turning away he continued talking, “I know I will!”

Thrawn walked her over to a high table overlooking the iron balcony constructed of filigree that seemed to be much sturdier than it appeared as all around there were beings hanging over the side, just a few feet above the main floor. Arihnda noticed some were performers weaving in and out of large hoops, contouring their bodies and spinning around, dancing in the air. A few were suspended from hooks in various parts, bodies painted white - _ethereal horrors,_ she though. 

Arihnda’s attention was mostly held by the various beings wrapped in a variety of intricate knots that held them securely aloft. One in particular was a Duros woman hanging lower than the others, laying with one leg free, one bent back and tied tightly, her core accessible. A pair of human women took turns teasing her with their mouths and a vibrating wand.

“Shibari is a lovely art form in and of itself. Does that interest you?”

Arihnda nodded and asked, “it does. How long does it take to do something like that?” She pointed at the woman continuing to be at the mercy of her partners, face locked in a mask of deviant bliss even on a normally impassive Duros.  
“Too long, if I’m honest,” he waved a hand dismissively. “I shouldn’t say that. It depends on the complexity. I’ve never really found the patience to truly appreciate the appeal. I prefer activities that provide immediate reactions.”

“Instant gratification.” She supplied, nodding as if she understood.

“Not necessarily. Gratification implies fulfillment of some sort. That I prefer to draw that out. I find it much more satisfying to have my partner overcome some obstacle or push themselves to a limit before allowing them to find their gratification.”

“Sounds like you’re giving out tests. Is there a study guide provided?” She asked coyly while finishing her drink.

“Perhaps you just need private tutoring.”

Arihnda nearly choked on the last bit of liquor before it safely made it down her throat.

Thrawn merely lifted a brow. “Does that interest you?”

“I...I think so.”

“May I tell you what I think?” He turned to her fully, pinning her in place with his gaze as he bent his neck down to speak to her closely

She nodded in apprehension, he’s been right about a number of things she might not have been able to ask for so this was sure to be enlightening if nothing else.

“I think you are a strong woman in all aspects of your life but you’ve grown tired of being in control of everything. You want to surrender that control but not to just anyone. To someone you view as an equal. You would never give your body and mind over to someone who doesn’t challenge you and press your limits. You want to explore pain and the beauty it brings. You want to submit.”

He had stepped further towards to her as he was speaking, bodies pressed close, the last words whispered directly into her year.

_You want to submit. You want to submit. You want to submit._

It swirled around in her head, knocking down plain white walls she had built during her relationship with _him._ The possibilities seemed endless and this man was offering to give her a taste.

“You told Hondo you thought I would be back for the spring party. What did you mean by that?” She jumped backwards, not ready to directly touch what he had just said because it would be admitting he was completely correct.

“You will be mine well before then. And we will attend, as long as you have earned the privilege.”

“We...ho...how? We haven’t even exchanged names. What makes you so sure we have me all figured out? I’ll have you know that I am not some silly girl with stars in her eyes. Your,” she waved her hand up and down, gesturing at his bare torso. Of course her hand was held out to the side as she hadn’t thought to step back fully to create enough space where he had invaded, “your…” the argument died on her lips when he took one large hand, ran it up her neck, and gently pulled back on her hair, forcing her head to tip up. Arihnda tried to be ashamed of the quiet moan that broke off her rant but couldn’t find the will to care in this exact moment.

He didn’t kiss her. Instead he held his lips just above hers and spoke into her mouth, mixing his breath with hers.

“I am what, exactly? Unless I am mistaken, you are arguing for argument's sake at this point and I would like to put that mouth to better use.”

“Yes...sir?” She wasn’t sure what to call him in this moment but she knew his name would be wrong and ‘master’ felt too much like role playing. This was a role she wanted to play but not an entirely new persona. All she really knew for sure was that slight ache where he fisted her hair and the control he exerted over her was more intoxicating than the whiskey racing through her veins.

“Sir it is, very good.” He relaxed the pull on her hair and massaged the area with his strong fingers. 

“Now, until you say otherwise, I am going to assume I have consent to do with you as I wish. I will, of course, ask for more explicit consent when it seems necessary and you are free to object at any time and we will stop. Does that sound amenable?”

“Yes, sir.” The thrumming had graduated to a full on hammering of blood rushing through body and to her cunt which had started aching in response to his touches.

_I am so in over my head but I’ve earned the right to jump in feet first and look later, right? I still have ultimate control here_ , she thought in a bid to reassure herself.

He lightly pulled her hair again after she neglected to answer. There was no malice in the action nor in his face. If anything he looked amused behind that haze of lust clouding his features.

“Yes, sir. Do I need to pick a safe word or something?”

“You may, in addition to the color system. If you use the safe word we will cease all activities immediately and assess what needs to be done to safely return to the present. What would you like the world to be?”

“Gorba melt” she blurted immediately. Why, she had no idea. Her brain was dedicating blood elsewhere so she was on some sort of autopilot.

“Gorba melt it is.” He huffed a laugh, “a unique choice if I’ve ever heard one but I do see how it would be unlikely to come up in normal conversation during a scene.”

“Now that we have settled. I would like to explain some rules and expectations. I will not degrade you, I find that distasteful. But I do expect full compliance. I get the sense that you excel at creative solutions but, unless otherwise instructed, you will do only as I say. If you require clarification, please ask before you are set to your task. You are not required to keep silent unless instructed to do so. I enjoy conversing and so far it has been most enjoyable with you. Beyond that, I expect you to push your boundaries but do not break them. I expect you to be uncomfortable at times but if you are able to commit, I assure you the result will be most rewarding. While we are still getting to know each other I will be reasonable. Do you have any objections?”

She shook her head, “no, sir”

“Excellent. Now, I assume you discerned my name but you will continue to refer to me as ‘sir’. I do not wish to know your name right now - you will be called whatever I desire.”

“Yes, sir.” 

“Before we begin, my hard limits are non-sexual bodily fluids, food, and feet. Do you have anything specific I should know about?”

She lifted an eyebrow at “feet” but didn’t question it as it suited her just fine. She took a moment to consider but didn’t find anything to add to the list - his seemed sufficient. 

“No, sir.” She never thought reviewing rules and procedures would be such a turn on but she also never expected to be wearing what equated to fashionable crash webbing as lingerie in public, either. 

Her neck was beginning to cramp from being held back but was a dull ache and nothing she couldn’t endure for longer. 

“Do you have any questions?”

_Yes, a million._ “No, sir.”

“Good girl. Are you ready to begin?”

“Yes, sir” she responded through a smile, anxious but more excited than she had been in years. The thought almost made her sad but Thrawn caught her lower lip between his teeth and pulled just a little as he sucked. This time she didn’t even pretend to be ashamed of the rumble in the back of her throat.

His other hand snaked around her hip and pulled her body against himself. Her eyes widened in surprise as she felt the bulge in his pants, a plethora of other possibilities crashed through the previously demolished walls in her mind.

Releasing the hold on her hair, and lightly trailing his fingertips down her spine, he pressed his lips to hers in proper kiss to which she immediately acquiesced, allowing his tongue to slip between her lips, tentatively flicking against her own. He tasted of whiskey and an unknown spice that she imagined she would never find anywhere else. She could easily get lost in a kiss like this, knowing she was his singular focus and not an obligation.

Still feeling dreamy and warm, he pulled away from Arihnda’s mouth and dragged his thumb across her bottom lip. “You taste as lovely as I expected.”

“I’m glad I didn’t disappoint,” the grin on her face had to be dopey, somewhat incongruous to her situation.

“I would like you to survey the room below and identify a particular piece of equipment you would like to explore. I will return in just a moment.” He gingerly positioned her body so that it was facing the table, and placed both of her palms flat on the table. 

“Yes, that will do. I expect you to be in this position when I return.”

“Oh, yes, ok...sir. Yes, sir.” Her mind was still reeling from the kiss but she corrected herself after only the tiniest delay. She hoped he didn’t notice, or at least would file it under “reasonable” for the time being.

She appreciated the moment to collect herself and process the evening thus far. Did she really just agree to let someone she’s known for all of about 2 hours do...whatever he wanted? It’s not like he hadn’t given her plenty of opportunities to object or include her own rules. 

But was it too good to be true? To find someone more than willing to indulge in the exact thing she wanted to explore? Was she that lucky or was she being stupid?

She sighed internally, _you know what? I’m going to ride this wave. Juahir always tells me I need to let go._

A large hand slid around her waist and came to rest low on her stomach, just above the top belt of her bottom harness, and a warm body leaned against her back. 

“Exactly how I left you, that deserves a reward.”

Not knowing what else to do, Arihnda kept her hands flat on the table but she did take the opportunity to lean into Thrawn, enjoying as much skin-to-skin contact as possible. 

The hand on her stomach slid lower, lower, lower, gliding over the soaked shimmersilk between her legs.

“Green?”

“Green” she whimpered against his neck as she turned her head to seek privacy in the crowded room. 

Placing the water bottle he had acquired on the table, he used the freed hand to redirect her jaw so she was again gazing outward while the other hand was busy feathering circles against the front of her slit, just enough to build tension but not enough to provide any reasonable pressure on her clit.

“No, look out there, do you see all of those beings? And do you hear everyone around us? Are you worried that they’ll see how you let me touch you? Or is it that you don’t want them to know how badly you need to be touched? No matter the reason, you will not be able to hide that you are mine now, my precious pet. I made you this wet, is that not true? You’ve been burning with desire since I tipped the first candle onto Eli”

Arihnda anchored herself by focusing on how his voice resonated in his chest and vibrated against her back.

“No, sir...yes, sir...I’m sorry, was I supposed to answer something?”

The vibration stuttered as he laughed. 

“No, no. But do tell where you would like to explore next.”

_Kriff. Kriff!_ She thought. Occupied with thoughts of motivations and desires, she neglected the first of her assigned task.

“I...was distracted.”

He returned his hand to her the flat of her stomach and she sagged at the loss of contact where she wanted it most.

“I appreciate your honesty. Tell me what had you so distracted that you could not complete your task?”

“You. I was, uhm, more or less convincing myself that even though this is probably the most insane thing I’ve ever done in my life, that I had no reason not to trust you and that I promised my friend I would keep an open mind since she’s always telling me to let go. And, well, I suppose this absolutely qualifies as ‘letting go.’”

His thumb had started idly rubbing up and down, causing her skin to erupt into goosebumps. She shivered against him.

“I see.” His thumb stopped as he considered how to respond. “Well, it would seem your friend has provided excellent advice and I am pleased to help you keep that promise. However, I will now choose where we proceed, though I don’t anticipate you will object.” 

Cold air assaulted her skin as he broke all contact and stepped around to her side. 

They shared the bottle and spent a few more moments watching the crowds below. Thrawn placed his hand on her lower back and directed her again towards the stairs.

“Let us see what sort of trouble we can create for you.”


	4. Flesh

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dub-con warning.

_This is just my way of unleashing the feelings deep inside of me | This spark of black that I seem to love_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zh3eG7HgnCM)

 

They ventured back to the main floor and roamed around seemingly without a destination or agenda. Thrawn kept a hand possessively on the small of her back and pointed out some of the obscure offerings, no doubt gauging her interest. A lithe Zabrak woman had an interesting set up involving an eye-catching glass wand with purple energy sparking off the end. Thrawn permitted a brief demo using the same arm he had hours earlier. 

For the sake of humoring her, he even held her hand while she acted as a conduit. It was decided that that particular tool was more of a novelty than anything she wanted to explore further but she appreciated the experience nonetheless.

They also took the opportunity to talk a little bit more. She had confirmed his suspicions that she had recently been released from a long term relationship. He was fairly tight lipped about himself but mentioned his species was generally very insular and therefore uncommon in the core worlds. Arihnda wondered if that ever made him feel lonely but decided that might be a conversation for another time.

Anticipation bloomed with each step as Arihnda wondered what their destination might be. Whipping posts, crosses, and spanking benches were common sights while those enjoying them were using unique implements and scenarios. 

As the evening wore on, the crowd thinned some and many of those remaining were engaged in more salacious behavior, sounds of pain and ecstasy echoed from dark corners and platforms.

Thrawn led them onto a raised dais that was surrounded by fogged white screens with adjustable transparency. Arihnda’s pulse quickened when she recognized the woman inside of box setting up a metal rack.

“Hello Hera, I look forward to your assistance in this scene.”

“Hello love, Thrawn, “ the Twi’lek nodded at them each in turn. “I’m almost done setting up the rig. I need just a moment.”

“Of course, I will get her prepared.”

Hera made a sound of agreement and went back to tightening hardware around the structure which appeared to be a sturdy metal triangle with a loop at the apex.

Thrawn grabbed Arihnda’s hand and pulled her close, “while this outfit is positively alluring, it is impractical for our purposes. I will remove the harnesses but your these will remain on.” He ghosted a finger along the top band of her underwear then slid his hand down over her slit sending a trill of excitement echoing out from her core.

“Yes, sir” keeping her tone more steady than she felt. Pieces were falling into place as to possibilities and it was making her head swim.

Thrawn dropped to his knees and rotated her by her hips so he was, more or less, eye level with her ass and he took the opportunity to playfully nip at the plush skin. After he undid the closure at the back, he hooked his hands under the straps and guided them down her legs, careful not to catch the the thigh-highs that remained in place. 

“Please step out,” offering a hand to steady her balance as she untangled from the strapping pooled at her feet.

Arihnda was grateful he was the one in charge of manipulating all the buckles and closures because she felt her hands tremble under his touch. He had turned her around and placed a kiss just below her navel before standing. Warm hands caressed her shoulders and ran across her back, searching for the hook.

“May I?” 

Why was he asking, she had already agreed...wait, that was a female voice. Hera.

Arihnda tipped her head to look up at Thrawn’s face. “Hera would like to join us for a little while. Green?” He asked.

“Green” she replied. Upon her consent, Thrawn made eye contact with Hera and nodded for her to proceed. 

The woman’s body, no longer wrapped in crystals, was warm as it pressed against her back and dropped a kiss onto shoulder before undoing the clasp and sliding the straps over Arihnda’s arms. With Thrawn still holding her tightly against his chest, the top stayed in place. Hera slide a hand across Arihnda’s shoulders as she came around to the front as well.

Thrawn shot Hera a questioning look. 

“What? I wouldn’t want to miss this reveal either. I’ve been wondering about the color all night. Terribly distracting.”

Another nod from Thrawn was all she received before he moved back to allow the top to fall to the floor, exposing her light brown nipples that were already hardening into tight points now that they were no longer compressed. 

Her breasts hung just a bit lower without support but she had been blessed with tits that more or less defied gravity despite being more than a handful for any partner.

“Kriff, I have never been so happy to be wrong.” Hera muttered while Thrawn ran his fingers across the lines that had been embossed against her skin, then teasing her nipples until they ached with the pads of his thumbs.

“Perfection.” He said with a touch of awe in his voice.

“Absolutely” Hera agreed.

Breaking from his reverie, Thrawn asked, “shall we get started then?”

~__X__X__X__X__X__X__~

She had never been in this situation before. Which situation, exactly? She asked herself. The one involving a near perfect stranger who had taken a liking to her? The one involving two aliens? A woman? Semi-public nudity? It was all so foreign.  
She instantly decided all aspects were thrilling and the anticipation of more had her positively dripping but she dare not shift her weight or rub her thighs together. She had a feeling patience would pay off much more than trying to find a tiny bit of relief right now.

Hera had pulled a black bag over from the corner and began setting out numerous bundles of a natural looking rope, all neatly wound onto themselves.

Arihnda’s eyes went wide as she snapped her head towards Thrawn with a puzzled look.

“While I may not have the patient for shibari myself, Hera is an expert at the craft and has graciously agreed to assist us.”

Licking her lips in anticipation, Arihnda nodded and continued to watch as the Twi’lek bent over to arrange her supplies.

There was no way she was this lucky, no way at all. But she couldn’t do much about it now - well, she could, but her desire to experience whatever Thrawn had planned greatly outweighed the concern. 

Thrawn had slid behind Arihnda and followed her gaze, “Though, I admit, it didn’t take much to convince her. It would seem you had charmed her as well. And I certainly have no objections to sharing you with another gorgeous woman, for the time being.”

Electricity stronger than the Zabrak’s wand shot through her body, melting her bones, as Thrawn leaned in to capture her earlobe with his teeth while massaging her tits. The light pressure on her ear was eclipsed by the sharp pain that came from the blue fingers tightening around her nipples and pulling. She cursed under her breath and felt her legs starting to go weak.

“I think I’m going to collapse if you keep that up.”

The pain ceased as a strong arm wrapped around her ribs and supported her weight. All levity was gone from his voice now, “I assure you that no harm will come to you. You have put your trust in me thus far, I will not ruin that.”

Arihnda was heartened by his sincerity even though her statement had merely been playful but she appreciated the sentiment all the same. The fact was she had trusted him, and would continue to do so, despite all logic, until a reason to do otherwise was presented. She hoped that wouldn't become an issue, ever.

“In that case, we shall sit.” 

He lowered both of them to the floor, outstretching his legs in a V while leaning against a corner in the room, continuing to watch Hera’s preparations. She was now untying the ropes and laying them out in long lines, folded over once in the middle.

Arihnda enjoyed this moment of intimacy and nestled closer into Thrawn’s lap, only half aware she was grinding her ass against his cock - she was made half aware when she felt the growing demand against her lower back and he growled just a bit. 

“Be still” he commanded. 

She complied. 

He brought an arm around and lifted one leg wide, placing her foot on the outside of his knee then repeated the process on the other side, and placed her hands on the cargo pockets of his pants. “You may grip here and here if necessary but you will stay still”

“Yes, sir.”

Placing an arm through the loop of her own, he brought a hand to her wet core and lazily drew shapes against the thin fabric that provided no insulation from his touch.

“You will be tied up and suspended, completely at my mercy. And you will not be allowed to cum until you are given permission. Do you understand?”

She shivered and involuntarily shook against Thrawn’s tight body. She felt, rather than heard, his laughter.

“Ok, I’m done.” Hera stood and stretched with her back still to them before turning and dropping her jaw at the sight before her. 

“That is excellent. Would you care to have a taste before we get started?”

Hera’s forehead wrinkled as she studied Thrawn’s face for a moment. “Truly?”

“Of course”

“Thrawn, your version of an olive branch certainly has style, I’ll give you that” 

Hera dropped to her knees in front of Arihnda and ran nimble hands up her thighs, careful to avoid contact with Thrawn himself, then lightly dragged nails back.

“This is ok with you, yes?”

Arihnda merely nodded knowing if she tried to speak only a high pitched squeak would come out. 

The Twi’lek then laid down flat on the floor and positioned her hands under Arihnda’s ass, gaining a bit more space for her to work. 

Mouth just inches away from the pulsing cunt before her, Hera took one last moment to look up at Thrawn who was watching the two women in front of him, fully engrossed by every movement.

“Rules?”

“No digital penetration and she isn’t allowed to orgasm”

“Seriously? You’re no fun.”

He took a beat to think then revised his statement, “if you are able to get her off in three minutes, she may cum.”

Hera scrunched her face, trying decide if that was better or worse. But shrugged the best she could in her prone position. 

“Well, start the chrono, I suppose.”

Arihnda felt Thrawn nod over her shoulder and Hera took on a predatory grin while lifting green wrists to pivot the her hips up and feathered a kiss on the tender skin of her inner thigh. 

Then fire flashed through Arihnda’s veins as the Twi’lek crushed the flat of her tongue right against the hood of her clit through her underwear creating a satisfying blunt pressure. 

“Kriff I can taste you through these. As sexy as that is, I do need them out of the way. Thrawn, would you be so kind?”

“Certainly,” he responded by gliding a hand down Arihnda’s stomach and across her hip to hook an index finger across the soaked, and now totally ruined, shimmersilk.

Pulling it far to the side, Arihnda mewled at the way the fabric had slipped and rubbed against her tender bud. 

“Sufficient?” Thrawn asked. Without responding, Hera went to task, burying her face into the woman. 

Arihnda gasped loudly at the contact as Hera’s clearly expert tongue flicked against her clit a few times before leisurely licking the length of her slit. 

Pulling back just enough to be audible, Hera chuckled, “if I drown down here, please let everyone know I went out doing what I love”

And she dove back in, eagerly working Arihnda’s clit with her tongue and gently with her teeth. Arihnda felt like she might pass out each time teeth grazed the bundle of nerves but it was immediately salved with a suck or lick. 

Thrawn brought his head to the shoulder opposite of where he was holding her underwear aside and whispered, “don’t think I didn’t notice the way you reacted just a moment ago. Tell me, in a clear voice, have you allowed anyone to explore there?”

He absolutely was a sadist because any attempt to even speak was nearly impossible with the ministrations currently happening between her legs but she took a shuddering breath and mustered all the confidence she could, “no, sir”

“But you’ve wanted to?”

“Yes, sir”

“‘Yes, sir’, what?”

She blanked, unsure of how else to respond. 

“‘Yes, sir’ was your response to what question?”

Ah, she understood

“Yes, sir, I have wanted someone to...fuck my ass.”

She hoped that was sufficient because the tension building was forcing all thought from her mind. She was relying on automatic systems to keep her alive because if she had to consciously remember to breathe, she would be dead in minutes. 

“We will have to do something about that.” The air from his breath stirring her hair, tickling her neck. She at least had the presence of mind to not twitch in an attempt to scratch the itch. 

Which was surprising because after that statement Thrawn tightened his grip and sent jolt another against her ass. 

“Kriff, Kriff, fuck, May I please come, sir?”

“So polite, thank you. Allow me to check the time.”

He was obviously drawing this out, testing her will. 

Hera has switched techniques and was sucking on Arihnda’s clit while flicking with the tip of her tongue.

 _Please please please_ she silently pleaded. The physical onslaught as well as fantasizing about Thrawn fucking her in every way she had been denied was excruciating. 

“You may cum, my pet, but you still must remain still or our evening might end here. I want to hear you, too”

Arihnda grunted, actually grunted, at the relief and tensed the muscles inside her cunt, straining against Hera’s tongue. 

Then she shattered. 

She screamed an animalistic growl that tore at her throat then sobbed “thank you” over and over again as she gripped the fabric of Thrawn’s pant legs with every ounce of strength left in her body, channeling all the energy coursing through her into her fingers. 

She couldn’t be certain but it felt like Thrawn’s cock twitched when she started screaming. 

Hera helped her ride the wave, knowing exactly what pressure to use and when to let off. When the Twi’lek sat back up she used her thumb to wipe away Arihnda’s cum from her face, then jokingly offered her hand to Thrawn. 

Except the bastard caught her wrist and licked the glistening area. 

Hera made some sort of dismissive noise and Thrawn gave her a grin that would send children running. 

“Don’t make offers you aren’t prepared to fulfill, Hera.”

“You’re such a dick” she scoffed. 

Still locked in complete stillness, Arihnda’s fuzzy mind barely even heard the exchange. She was full of bliss, leaving no room for any other thoughts or information.

Thrawn gently unclasped her fists and placed each hand on the opposite side of her waist, then wrapped his arms around her in a hug. Then he again rested his head on her shoulder. 

“Thank you, Arihnda. That was delightful.” Hera stated, dropping into a squat so she could look Arihnda in the eye.

A green finger brushed against her cheek, fell against her lip, then drifted away. 

“Manners, my pet.”

“You’re welcome, sir” Arihnda rasped out, throat still burning from her vocal release of ecstasy.

“Sir?” Thrawn asked.

“It suits me just fine. ‘Ma’am’ always sounds so...old or dismissive.”

“When you’re back in your body we can get started with rope. Being a rag doll is slightly helpful but no rush. I do need to step out for just a moment.” She nodded to Thrawn and exited the dais.

Thrawn released her arms and untangled her legs. 

“You may relax now. Find comfort while you rest. Here, drink slowly”

Barely hearing the words she slid down onto the floor and rested her head against Thrawn’s thigh, curling into herself facing him as he brought a straw to her mouth.

He brushed bangs from her forehead to keep them from falling into her eyes. 

“I must compliment you on your resolve. That was absolute compliance and you improvised perfectly. I am extremely proud of you.” 

She beamed with pride in herself. It was a difficult task but, he was right, the reward for following the rules was even sweeter for that reason.

“My resolve, however, is waning and I unfortunately must stand. I believe you should as well. That was undoubtedly a strain on your legs.”

She lifted her head from his thigh and rolled herself into a sitting position while Thrawn maneuvered around her to stand swiftly. He reached out a hand in assistance. 

Not wanting to look weak, and to prove she was ready for more, Arihnda all but launched herself to standing. Except she overestimated her abilities and toppled into Thrawn, unsteady on the platform heel of her boots that she inexplicably still wore. He caught her in an embrace to steady her balance. 

“Easy pet, no need to rush. Stretch your legs, slowly, and get the blood flowing.”

Arihnda walked around the dais, trying to hide how stiff her legs had become. Out of the corner of her eye she caught Thrawn stretching by lifting one arm above his head and pulling at the wrist with the other, bending from on side then repeating on the other. She hadn’t noticed the lovely cerulean tone of his skin before now, having only been in rooms with colored light, and it seemed to be freckled on his cheeks and nose. 

The diffused light from the screens highlighted the contour of each of his muscles that he controlled almost individually in his exaggerated movements. 

“Do you have any idea how long Hera might be?”

“I’m certain she will return in just a moment. Tell me, I have not observed any but I must know, do you have any injuries that I should be aware of?

She thought it an odd question but not the strangest of the night, “no, I broke my arm when I was a child but it isn’t an issue anymore. Is that what you mean?”

“More or less. Hera can explain the mechanics in more detail as she works but rope tends to place stress on the body when suspended in any manner. It’s imperative injuries or concerns are known beforehand.”

“Ah” was all she said in response.

For the first time, the space between them felt awkward. Whether it was the distance or waiting on Hera, Arihnda wasn’t sure. But she felt his eyes boring through here with every step, every move she made while inspecting the metal structure. 

Gazing at the corner where they had been sitting moments before, she thought about him pressed against her back, muscles contracting when moving her body, chest vibrating when he spoke, and the sensation of his erection on her lower back. She had an idea to kill the time. She padded back over to Thrawn carefully, her boots giving her enough artificial height to almost stand chest-to-chest.

“Is there anything you would like me to do, sir? For you, I mean”

He smiled, amusement crinkling the corners of his eyes. “A lovely offer. Please, enlighten me, what might you have in mind? Detail and creativity will be rewarded.”

 _Stang!_ She thought he would take the lead, hoping he would.

_Think, Arihnda, think!_

“I’ve always enjoyed using my mouth. And I am very grateful that you allowed Hera to use hers on me. I feel like I should be reciprocating somehow. Perhaps....perhaps I could get on my knees and use my mouth on you?”

“Show me, do not touch, but show me how you would begin.”

She slowly lowered herself to her knees and sat back on her heels, looking up at him, lazily, as she took the moment to enjoy the up close view of the ridiculous V shaped lines that disappear into the waistband of his pants that were dangerously low on his hips, and each facet of his sculpted muscles, before reconnecting her gaze with glowing eyes. Her head sat at the perfect height when she assumed proper posture but she thought he would need to bend over to wrap his fingers in her hair.

She straightened her back fully and rested her hands on the top of her thighs, doing her best to keep an innocent look on her face.

“Good. Excellent posture. Now what?” 

A plan was starting to form. “Well, if I’m not allowed to touch you, I would need to find another way to get started, to get you hard.” This might be a little more difficult to put into words but the visuals running through her head were providing inspiration. She saw herself fully confident and poised, narrating each move she made with explicit terms that were not the least bit embarrassing to say out loud.

Unfortunately reality was a bit messier but she did her best. “I could touch myself instead. Starting with my tits, you seemed to enjoy looking at them earlier. I could hold them and massage them, pinching my nipples until they were nice and hard.” She could feel the throbbing returning to her cunt as she put this fantasy into words.

With no response either way, she continued. “Then I could lean back, arching my back like Eli from earlier, when you poured wax down to his dick, and spread my knees wide so you could have a better view of my pussy. I would then slide my hands down my stomach and run my fingers between my lips. Before starting to work my clit I might need to suck on my fingers for a little extra lubrication and then dip them back into myself. And then I could start…”

She was cut off when she heard footsteps up the stairs to the dais. Thrawn did not break eye contact with her though. She felt flames in his eyes and they were burning her to the core. She felt like a woman possessed by some sort of succubus, ready to steal this man’s soul. If he would ever let her touch him, that is.

Flicking her eyes down, she noticed that the front of his pants had indeed started to grow. Her confidence was at an all time high. She was ready for more.

“I feel obligated to mention I was listening from down below and, love, if that doesn’t get him hard, nothing will. Kriff, I would love to see you touch yourself like that.” Hera mused from the other side of the makeshift room.

When neither spoke or even acknowledged her presence she continued, “Anyway,” drawing out each syllable. “I ran into Hondo and he wanted me to give you this, Thrawn.” She handed him a small velvet bag with a drawstring pulled tight. He finally broke eye contact with Arihnda and he placed the parcel into one of the lower pockets on his pants.

“If it’s all the same to you, I’d like to get started. As much as I would enjoy finishing my night here with her, I do have another requesting my, ah, services before the night is over,” and more to herself than the others she mumbled, “and my welcome seems to be wearing thin.”

Thrawn nodded, “that would be most agreeable.” Turning back to Arihnda, “I will remain here with you but I will not be participating until Hera has completed her work. I find it’s best to stay out of her way.”

Arihnda nodded, lacking a bit of enthusiasm, not wanting to break from what they were already doing. She had started salivating at the idea of running her tongue along his cock, encouraged by his physical reaction to her words. 

“Actually, Thrawn, would you go find an ottoman to put under her?” He gave Hera a dubious look. Arihnda could all but feel Hera rolling her eyes from behind her. “I won’t touch her in any way that isn’t necessary for tying her up until you return. I wouldn’t dare touch your toys without permission,” again dropping her voice, “unlike some.”

“Hm? What was that last bit?”

“Nothing at all. Maybe a few cushions as well? I see you’ve already arranged for a blanket so I don’t believe we will need anything else.”

He reached down to Arihnda, placing his index finger under her chin, not that she needed to be moved, her attention had been centered on him the whole time.

“Will you be comfortable if I leave for a few moments?”

Arihnda nodded, “yes, sir.”

He curled his wrist and ran his fingers over her lips. “Very well,” he said and left the room.

Hera came around to face Arihnda and offered a hand to help her stand but only after studying her for a moment, noting the shiver that tore through the human woman’s frame as her male partner left.

“I assume he asked about injuries and there is nothing I should be concerned with?” Hera’s tone had taken on a cooler edge, like hot iron waiting to be forged.

Shaking her head, Arihnda absently responded absently, “no, sir. Nothing of anything significance”

Hera managed a small smile and gestured towards the frame. “You don’t need to do the ‘sir’ thing when he isn’t around if you don’t want.”

“And if I want to?”

That seemed to lift some of the shadow that had crept over Hera just a moment ago. A genuine smile replaced the forced one and she chuckled. “You really want this, don’t you? The whole submission thing?”

“I think...I need it more than I want. I feel like I’ve missed so much being in a stupid boring relationship. Juahir always tells me to let go but I’m afraid no one will catch me. This way it feels...safer? I hope. I feel kind of crazy for jumping into this so quickly though.” She turned introspective while Hera started working the rope around her chest and arms, gently crossing her forearms behind her back at a right angle, placed just under her ribs.

“Should I be worried about him? It seems like there’s a lot of tension between you two. And I don’t really know him. He doesn’t really know me.” She snorted, “I haven’t even told him my first name.”

Hera chuckled, “Oh, that. It’s a weird rivalry thing we have. I’ve offered to fuck it out of him but so far he’s declined. Part of it comes from being too similar - we have the same taste in partners and it leads to some uncomfortable situations when the other more or less ‘loses’. But should you be worried? No, I’ve never heard any of his partners say anything bad, well, besides the fact he can be a pompous ass. But he’s not dangerous. I’ve known him for a long time and while we aren’t always friendly, I might still consider him a friend.”

Arihnda nodded.

“Thank you, so much. I’ve never even had a one night stand so all of this with him, and you,” she blushed, memories flashing through her mind at lightning speed, “it’s all so new.”

“The most important question is are you having fun?”

“Kriff, yes” she laughed.

“Then that’s what matters. Everyone here is pretty solid as far as safety is concerned. It’s just about finding who matches your needs and establishing enough trust to go forward.”

“I just wish I could touch him, or you, I feel like it’s very one sided.”

“I assure you that nothing about this is one sided. Sure, orgasms are nice but I can have one whenever. But getting to tie up pretty girls? Or making them scream with my tongue alone, which was pretty fucking hot if I haven’t mentioned it yet, Thrawn is nothing if not creative about pushing people to their limits - I’ll have to remember that one in the future. Anyway, that’s all unique to me - special. And the whole control thing. Having you at my mercy. That trust and power is intoxicating all on its own. You might not have gotten me off but I definitely enjoyed myself more than a quick fuck.”

“Oh” was all she could think of to say.

“It can be a nebulous concept to grasp if you haven’t experienced it but having an orgasm isn’t the only way to get off. Sometimes it’s bringing your partner to a place they need through sexual contact or through other stimulation. Sometimes pain can put you in a place better than 10 orgasms. It’s all different.” She shrugged.

“As for not touching, that’s all Thrawn. One thing I have heard is he always tops and never wants anything in return. I’d don’t know if he’s a sadist but he does seem to genuinely enjoy controlling scenes and play. Watching him do an impact scene is almost hypnotizing - it’s like he slips into a trance, only aware of his rhythm and his partner.” 

They settled into silence for a moment.

Then Hera snorted and lowered her volume, “I will say, I’ve never seen him look at a partner with the same glimmer that shows up each time he gazes in your general direction. It’s...not common for him to be affectionate outside of a scene, and even then it’s the barest of touches that generally serve a purpose.”

Arihnda thought back to how he had touched Eli and Karyn during the wax demo. His touches were gentle and appeared intimate but they were also functional: an instruction to lie back, an indication of where he was going to pour.

Her face burned more. “I...don’t know how to respond to that.”

“Respond to what?” A crisp voice with a lilting accent of unknown origin filled the room.

“Girl talk, Thrawn. Set that stuff to the side.”


	5. Viciousness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...another dub con warning.

_You know me, I just can't keep my hands to myself | And I know that, I've got to get a hold of myself | And you know what | To say that gets under my skin | And I know, that I never should've let you in_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sOEXRZ6El5M)

 

He lifted an eyebrow at the women then compiled with Hera’s instructions. He assumed a cross-legged position atop the ottoman with rigid posture, eyes containing untold possibilities as he took in the sight before him. Arihnda had been tied from the waist up: wrapping around her entire torso, uppers arms held in tightly, 6 lines sat above and below her chest, additional lines forming an X with a knot in the center, framing her breasts proudly. Lines traveled over her collarbones, one line crossing just below the clavicle, and disappeared behind her back into another X with a knot in the middle. The bands of 6 converge into a series of thick knots, beautifully formed, in the space above her crossed arms behind her back, wrists secured into place with a few lines but loose enough for her hands to flex and stimulate blood flow as needed. 

“I’m almost done,” she said to them both, hooking fingers under the rope, pulling, and adjusting as necessary. “And love, I will finish our conversation with this: say ‘yes’”

Arihnda smiled at the cryptic advice and avoided Thrawn’s gaze as she busied herself by assessing what Hera had been doing. Previously distracted by the thoughts bubbling out of her mouth, she hadn’t taken time to appreciate Hera’s work. 

She felt ...pretty. And safe. Not claustrophobic, not tense. Secure. 

Feeling light and confident, she met Thrawn’s gaze. It held the same hunger as before but with a touch of annoyance betrayed by the tense set of his mouth. She was sure he did not approve of her withholding anything from him. She would tell him later, if he asked. But she appreciated the fact he didn’t pry further. 

She bit her lip, absently, trying to figure out what to say. Blessedly, Thrawn broke the silence. “Your box tie is stunning perfection, as usual. I can never get mine to look that clean” Arihnda assumed that was the large collection of knots at the back where Hera had just finished weaving longer ropes that were kept loose.

“Do you want her standing or kneeling?”

“I believe I still owe her some punishment for her failure to fulfill a task from earlier this evening so she will stand. However, those shoes and stockings must be removed.”

“Would you like to take care of that while I finish the suspension?”

He untangled his long legs, stalked over to Arihnda, and knelt by her legs. He removed the boots first, efficiently, with no unnecessary contact with her body.

Then he leaned forward and slid his hand from the curve of her ass down to her thigh, catching his fingers under the lace band at the top of the stocking and smoothed all the way to her ankle until the nylon had rolled back onto itself. He then unceremoniously pulled the bunched fabric away. 

_Ah, right, he doesn’t care for feet._

He repeated the other side in the same manner.

Hera giggled, “you even have adorable feet! Are you sure you aren’t a pleasure-bot? It’s unreal how absolutely perfect you are. Don’t answer that - I am happy to live in a lie.” She then asked in a serious tone, “are you ready? You’re going to feel a lot of pressure on your sides when I pull you up. You need to tell me immediately if something hurts or is pinching, ok? That’s critical. Don’t think you’re being tough.”

“Yes, sir”

“That question had multiple parts, pet”, he snapped his teeth on the last syllable. Keeping them bared in a wolfish grin.

“Sorry, sir. I am ready to be lifted and I will let you know if anything hurts,” she corrected. Catching the increased tightness in the corner of his mouth, she amended, “sir” but it felt like a shout and she was a bit embarrassed at her lost of composure. 

She felt a tug across her chest and she was slowly lifted. As she was brought up, Thrawn slid the wide ottoman under the frame where she placed her toes for balance.

“Easy, plant your feet. There you go,” Hera coached. The feeling of almost floating was strange. Some of her weight was still held by her legs but otherwise she was indeed suspended by her torso, bent at the hips, looking straight down.

She also realized her ass was sticking straight out.

“Comfortable?” Thrawn asked. 

Taking a quick inventory, she was indeed aside from the expected pressure. “Yes sir, I don’t feel any pinching or unexpected pain.”

Turning to Hera he responded, “You are indeed an artist, Hera. Thank you for your assistance, honestly.”

“Just remember to untie here and here to let her down.”

He nodded. “Understood.”

“And it is no problem, Thrawn. Thank you for allowing me to enjoy your lovely companion. The pleasure was indeed all mine. May I say a proper goodbye?”

“Of course,” he bowed at the waist and took a step back to allow space for Hera to face Arihnda.

Green hands cupped her face, searched her eyes, then leaned in for a quick but passionate kiss that positively stole Arihnda’s breath. The Twi’lek’s tongue moved just as expertly in her mouth as it did in her cunt and the comparison caused a pleasant tingle. Hera ended the kiss by playfully tugging Arihnda’s bottom lip with her teeth. “Thank you for sharing yourself with me. I hope it’s not the last opportunity we have together. And remember, say yes” She winked, slid past the metal frame, and left.

“Did you enjoy your time with Hera?”

“I did, sir. Thank you for allowing her to...eat my pussy.” she supplied hesitantly.

He huffed a laugh. “I assumed you enjoyed that part and you’re welcome. I meant your few moments alone.”

“Oh, yes. I enjoyed that as well, sir,” blood rushing to her face, realizing her mistake.

Spreading his hands wide, enough to cover much of her behind, he squeezed heartily, then hooked his index fingers on either side of her hips and pulled down the black fabric that had been rendered all but useless. Her legs were parted slightly due to her need for balance and in that space she felt them catch just slightly as they peeled away from her center that had been in some state of heightened anticipation all night. 

“I would like to know what you discussed.” Tossing the underwear into the pile with her other garments, he stepped out of her line of sight and began rubbing large circles over her entire ass with his hands and gently tapping with an open palm, not quite a spank. “I am merely warming up the skin. Please continue.”

Anticipation bloomed in her chest. She at least knew about the necessity of warming up from her talks with Juahir about impact play with Driller.

“We talked about my night. About how I’ve never been to something like this before.”

The first crack came across her ass, from his open hand. 

She cried out from being startled more than in pain. 

“Count as I go, please. And do continue”

More rubbing, more light tapping.

“One. That I’ve never even had a one night stand so all this is really outside of my comfort zone.”

_Crack_

“Two.”

“You need to use nouns and verbs, pet. ‘This’ is not an acceptable description of anything.”

A hand traveled down the back of her thigh and lightly caressed the back of her knee with dull fingernails. 

She made a high whine and struggled to keep her balance. _That was new._

“Letting someone else decide everything for me.”

 _Crack._ That one actually stung.

“Three”

“Is that true? Is that not what happened in your previous relationship, though only done passively and without any creativity?” He paused, and before she could even think of a response: “That’s rhetorical. Continue.”

_Ouch, that was a painfully accurate observation._

“Everything! Trying out wax.”

_Crack_

“Four! Being teased through my underwear in front of a whole room of people.”

_Crack_

“Five! Having my legs held open while someone, a woman no less, makes me cum with her mouth!”

_Crack_

“Six! Having someone offer me to another for that exact purpose like an object being passed back and forth!”

 _Crack._ It was clear he was increasing the strength behind each blow as he alternated - soothing the sting while she spoke, sometimes tickling the back of her knee which was short circuiting her nerves - the abrupt shift in stimulation.

“Seven! Being told to speak my deepest buried fantasies aloud!”

_Crack_

“Eight! All with a stranger I’m not even allowed to touch!”

_Crack_

“Nine! Giving up control!” she was yelling at this point.

_Crack!_

“Ten!”

When she didn’t continue past the count, Thrawn carried on.

“Eleven!” _Crack_ “Twelve!” _Crack_ “Thirteen!” Tears were starting to escape from Arihnda’s eyes. She had squeezed them tightly shut. The pain was growing, bordering on intolerable. But it was also breaking apart something inside of her, shaking loose the webs holding all the thoughts that normally buzzed around her brain, even in her stillest moments.

“Very good, pet. Do you feel that lightness in your head? Chase that. I want you to empty your mind. Focus on how my hand feels and nothing else. You do not need to count any longer, simply make noise when you feel you must.”

While he spoke he was massaging the skin of her ass, which was stinging and tender, but she wanted to endure, to see how far she could go. Each time she thought she might be close to her limit, she took a deep breath, and braced for the next blow.

She felt his hands up her spine and down her thighs, bringing warmth wherever they went. It made her feel precious and treasured.

He came around to her side, not facing her, but enough that he could whisper into her ear, “I shall continue. I believe I can judge your limit but at any point you are free to use a color or your safe word.” He left a kiss against her temple and returned to the punishing worship of her body with his hands.

Maybe this is what Hera was talking about, she thought. _Crack._ That non-sexual way of getting off? _Crack._ She knew she was aroused, she could feel her cunt aching for stimulation beyond the vibration that rippled through each time she was hit. It might be enough, eventually. But she found she didn’t need to be touched in that way as long as he kept up the spanking and soothing.

 _Crack!_ Blinding white pain exploded through her body and she sagged against the rope, moaning in a mix of pain and exaltation. 

_Crack!_ She vaguely felt the tears continuing down her face but also the small grin involuntarily pulling at her lips

 _Crack!_ She was floating in a void. A gasp.

 _Crack!_ Her mind was as empty as the vacuum of space. A pained whine.

 _Crack!_ Blank. Crying out, shrill at first then dropping into a moan.

 _Crack!_ She screamed at the top of her lungs, a primitive response taking over her mind. A coo while he soothed.

 _Crack!_ She screamed again, tearing her throat even more raw than before and fell limp against the rope holding her torso.

Then something soft was draped over her ass and she felt disconnected from her body as it was slowly brought down from the frame. She was then floated to the ground, unconcerned with how that was happening, just enjoying the sensation of the blanket wrapped around her skin. Then a warm presence wrapped around her from behind, holding her close against something smooth and slightly damp but so wonderfully warm. 

What felt like an instant later, she heard a voice, “I’m going to begin undoing these ropes. Do not make any quick movements.”

 _Not a problem,_ she was pretty sure even her nerves weren’t firing quickly. 

Feeling the rope slide against her skin and relieve pressure she started reconnecting. Fingers first, wrists, elbows, shoulders. 

Strong hands gently flexed and bent her arms then brought them around to her front and set them in her lap, her whole body trembling, adrenaline burned out of her veins, leaving her weak and cold and brainless. 

Fingers worked into each set of muscles that had been restrained, bringing them back to life. She continued to make sounds of protest then relief as the probing progressed from one area to the next.

“Wiggle your fingers. Once they feel normal go ahead and move your arms around.”

She obeyed, again. 

“How are you feeling?”

Without thinking she answered, “empty, good empty, like I’m still floating somewhere up there, I think. And cold.”

He smiled, a genuine smile, and the glow from his eyes made her face warm like the first rays of sun after a long cleansing rain.

“Would you like me to lay down with you for a bit longer?”

She nodded and they fell back into a spooning position, his arm under her head as a pillow, the other possessively around her chest. She was running her fingers along the back of his hand in time with her breath.

“Thank you, sir” she managed after a few moments, once the shaking subsided.

He pulled her tighter against his bare chest and breathed deeply, the scent of sweat and sex and spice filling the air around them.

“You are very welcome. I am so very proud of you. You endured longer than I might have thought. I only hope you don’t feel as though I was causing you pain for any reason other than helping you find subspace and have that experience.”

“Oh, that’s what it’s called,” she realized with a dreamy tone, “No, no, I understand what was happening. I’ve never felt anything like that before. To be stripped down emotionally but not out of malice or anything. Then filled with...nothing. The desire, no, need, to push through my own limitations. It was...euphoric. Even with the pain.”

“Ah, yes, that will likely be an issue for a time. In fact,” she felt him shift away, fabric swishing around, and something plush again placed directly over her ass. He then settled back in and she sighed in relief - both from the blanket providing a barrier against the coarse fabric of his pants, and for his physical presence. 

“Did you, erm, have fun?” It sounded dumb in her head, and just as bad once it left her mouth but it was what she could manage, it had to be enough. “Maybe fun isn’t the right word.”

“It was an enjoyable experience, yes. I have found our entire evening together quite delightful..”

Feeling whole again, Arihnda went to sit and looked around for her clothing.

Thrawn rose behind her and draped a gossamer robe over her shoulders. 

“So…” not sure what else to say but wanting to fill the silence, she asked: “ what do we do now?” She slid her arms into the gauzy fabric and loosely secured the sash at the waist. 

“I would very much like to sleep,” a deadpan and practical answer, she might have expected as much.

“Oh, ok, understandable. I’ll just catch a hovercab from the shuttle station to my apartment, unless my friends are still here…”

“They aren’t.” His response came too quickly.

“What?”

“Juahir and Driller, yes? They left some time ago. I was informed when I was out running Hera’s errand.”

Arihnda crinkled her forehead in confusion, not understanding why that would be information relevant to Thrawn, specifically. 

“And you don’t need a taxi, you won’t be going home. I have made arrangements for you to stay the night. Hondo graciously permitted me to use one of his suites. I don’t believe it would be a good idea for you to travel home by yourself at this hour.”

“Ok, wait, just a moment. I’m fine with you being in control of all the kinky stuff but I have to draw the line somewhere. You can’t jus-”

Thrawn cut her off with a kiss, pulling her tightly against his body. It was languid and nice. Not like the hurried and hungry kiss they first shared, and absolutely nothing like the knockout from Hera. This was somehow much more emotional. Intimate. Comfortable.

He drew back and tipped her chin, “I insist. We can negotiate additional terms later. But you should stay here. Tonight...with me” he trailed off. For the first time his confidence wavered. His words didn’t hold the cocky swagger that she had been drawn - he was vulnerable.

Then the conversation with Hera replayed - _it’s not common that he shows affection outside of a scene, the way he’s been looking at you all night, say yes._

 _Kriff this._ Deciding she would commit to that last suggestion, she threw her arms around his neck and gave him the desperate kiss she had been wanting to initiate all night

She thought she could feel him smile against her lips before parting them and letting him devour every last doubt she had about staying. About the night. About him.

Finally she was able to touch him, to really luxuriate in the feel of his skin under her fingers. The build of his arms, his chest, his abs. Before her hands sank too low, he lifted her by the thighs, a little awkward, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his hips, very grateful he was thoughtful enough to not grab her any higher. 

Wrapping her legs tighter as he held her lower back, she broke contact and took the respite to catch her breath and study his face. 

“I have wanted to do that all night.”

“Have you now?” His playful tone has returned in perfect form. 

“Do you see yourself? You are like a classical painting made flesh. I just...I really needed to touch you.” _What a terrible line._

He took a steadying breath as if unsure about his next response, “perhaps I can accommodate that need as well.”


	6. Wildfire

_With a fork tongued message | Foretelling truths and lies | Clawing through the darkness | Clutching at my thighs_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVvBbcxQ-Jw)

 

Reality peaked through the haze of passion when they hurriedly gathered the contents of the room: Hera’s rope and Arihnda’s clothing. He assured her the frame would be returned to Hera as well. 

The suite was every bit as opulent as she might have expected from Hondo - the same wallpaper, she took a small delight in finally getting to run her fingers across the print. It was indeed as fuzzy as she suspected.

“That bed looks sinful”

Thrawn’s face cracked into a half grin, she assumed it was due to her choice of words. 

It was an ostentatious thing: 4 posts of intricately carved wood depicting beautiful women with wings in sultry poses among clouds, each connected with heavy iron bars while the bed itself was set on a raised platform and draped in a blanket that look like it was made of clouds itself but in the deepest of crimson. 

Neatly set on the end of the bed was another robe, more substantial than the one she was wearing, but still diaphanous and edged with soft lace, as well as a black sleep shift in a luxurious shimmering fabric. 

“Is this for me?” She asked, turning to Thrawn who had stopped in the middle of the expansive room, watching her inspect the bed.

“Yes, I assumed you enjoyed satin and thought it would provide the least amount of friction.”

_On your ass. That I beat with my bare hands. She thought wryly._

“That was very thoughtful. Thank you”

She’d dedicate brain space to how he arranged that later. She crawled onto the side of bed, legs hanging over the edge and leaned back onto her hands, shooting what she hope would be her most seductive come hither look.

Thrawn stalked over and pinned her to the bed with his body, knees outside her hips, hand above her shoulders. He kissed her with the intensity of an inferno that would easily leave her a pile of ash. And she would welcome it. 

He slid a hand between her thighs and ever so gently ran a finger across her cunt, a tentative gesture, teasing and testing.

Her hips lifted off the bed and she sighed into his mouth. She greedily grabbed at his pants, quickly searching for the closure when he captured her hand and forcefully but not painfully moved it to the side, holding it against the bed.

“You make the sweetest sounds when you’re frustrated and your determination is admirable. However, you must shower, cool water only, and prepare for bed.” He lifted the pinned hand to his lips and delicately kissed her fingers, lost in the moment as if he was afraid she might dissolve. He then rolled to the side and returned to standing. 

Still feeling playful and really wanting to get him naked, she asked, “will you be joining me?”

“No.” was all he said.

“Oh, alright” she responded, the wind somewhat knocked from her sails but she complied and went to the refresher through a door on the opposite side of the bed. 

Taking his advice, she turned the shower onto a cool setting but quickly figured out the mist option was actually really awful for tender skin, it felt like thousands of little pebbles hitting her in rapid succession. She instead opted for something resembling rain and gently washed her body, hands lingering in all the places that had been used throughout the night. She stepped from the shower onto the cold floor then quickly found solace on a bathmat. While drying her body she wondered what else would be happening when she walked back through the door.

Turns out, not much. 

Thrawn had already made himself comfortable in the bed, having moved her sleepwear to what would be “her” side. She slid between the sheets without dressing and immediately wrapped herself against his side, hoping he too eschewed clothing while he slept. Sadly, she was wrong.

“Pet, I am utterly exhausted. I do wish we were filled with unlimited stamina,” he rubbed her back with the arm curled underneath her ribs, “but this has been a long day. We will sleep now and can continue in the morning. That is agreeable, yes?”

“Do I have much of a choice?” his hand stopped moving. The room was eerily quiet and felt significantly colder than just moments before.

“Not exactly one of your more charming moments, I’m afraid.”

“Stang, sorry, that was a very inappropriate choice of words. I just...can I be honest?”

“Of course.”

“I have this voice screaming inside of me to please you, to satisfy you, to fuck you. And I desperately want to do all of those things. I thought we might...”

Her voice trailed off.

“You have done 2 of those 3. Is that not enough? It seems you are conditioned to think of sexual gratification as transactional. I assure you it is not, nor do I view it in that manner. An orgasm is not the only sign of a satisfying sexual encounter, surely you have experienced that for yourself this evening.”

She felt herself pouting, a sign she was probably more tired than she wanted to admit, and nodded against his chest. 

“You are with me tonight, which means you will be with me in the morning. Let us sleep and see what the day brings.”

Deciding that was a reasonable solution she tucked herself more deeply against his side, head on his chest, arm wrapped around to his ribs, legs tangled together. She felt the pull of sleep as her breath slowed and became heavier. Right before fully falling into a slumber, or maybe she had been dreaming already, she thought she felt Thrawn whisper “goodnight, Arihnda” into her hair. 

~__X__X__X__X__X__X__X~

 

Stirring from what was the best sleep she had had in years, Arihnda couldn’t remember where she was but the softness of the sheets and the scent of quality caf mixing with an unknown spice lingering on the pillow triggered memories of last night. She pulled the covers over her head, not wanting to yet face the day before she decided if she was more proud or embarrassed by what happened. She couldn’t even use the excuse of being drunk - she had 3 drinks over the span of 4 hours and had felt more than sober by the time they reached the platform. She would drink a bottle of wine nearly every night when she was with Ottlis so 3 drinks was really nothing.

_Ottlis, ugh,_ she audibly groaned at the thought of his name. She had been thinking of him as a pronoun for months.

“I have extra strong caf if you would like to come out of your shame cocoon over there.”

And then there was Thrawn. 

Dragging herself out of the bed she went straight to the ‘fresher and did the best imitation of her morning ritual. Everything had been set out as if this was some high end hotel room - skipping the essentials was no longer a concern. She exited and was immediately wrapped in the lace lined robe she hadn’t used the night before. 

Thrawn stepped back awkwardly as she adjusted everything, watching her with an almost critical eye, studying her every move and expression.

“How are you feeling?”

“Fine, I think. Good, actually. I haven’t slept that well in...a long time.”

He smiled at that. 

“And you?”

“I am well, thank you. Please, join me. I had some breakfast brought by, unsure of your preference.”

“You said there was caf?”

“Yes, of course, caf as well - black, one sugar, correct?”

She happily accepted the mug.

“Are you a spy or something? Do you secretly have a dossier on me? No one can be that perceptive and observant.”

A look akin to fear flashed across his face so briefly that she thought it might have been her imagination.

He shrugged in a self deprecating manner, focus shifting away towards the large window overlooking the massive transparasteel viewport overlooking the low atmosphere of Coruscant, twinkling lights still visible from some of the higher buildings.

“I’ve dedicated a considerable amount of time to understanding and interpreting behavior of others. It has proven to be very helpful in many aspects of my life.”

“Oh, and what might those aspects be?” She inquired over the top of her mug, taking a sip and fluttering her eyes closed at the taste - it was heavenly, especially on a morning like this.

A forced smile was all she got for her efforts as he turned his attention back onto her.

“But in this case I assumed your coffee preference with be similar to your drink of choice.” _Oh, that makes sense._ “What I would like to know is if you prefer pastry or fruit for breakfast.” He was trying to keep the conversation light, inconsequential, except is tone was anything but.

“Most mornings I just have caf on my way out the door to the office but when I have time, I indulge in pastries - though usually I opt for one with a fruit filling.” She hoped a genuine smile would somehow brighten his mood that had taken on a darkness in the last few moments.

“I do believe there are some of those as well.” He lifted the cloche concealing a mountain of various finely crafted pastries, each looking perfectly flaky and dusted with powdered sugar. And filled with a different type of fruit - berries, apples, even meiloorun. 

She couldn’t contain the laughter that bubbled up at the sight. She shook her head and placed a fluffy golden octagon with perfectly rolled edges surrounding a red berry compote topped with fresh red berries, a galette, Thrawn informed her, onto a ceramiplast plate then leaked back into her chair, balancing the plate on her knees while maintaining a death grip on the caf. She refused to put it down before she had drained the mug entirely.

“Thank you, I don’t know how you knew or guessed, but thank you. This is a lovely way to begin a morning.”

“Afternoon.” He corrected more harshly than the situation warranted. “It was no trouble. I’m pleased that I was correct.”

“After...what? Seriously? What time is it?”

“Does it matter?” The edge in his tone was starting to nick at her with each word. 

She was about to object but decided, “no, I suppose it absolutely does not. I had no plans today, though I should probably comm Juahir at some point so she doesn’t think…”

Another nearly imperceptible emotion somewhere between fear and frustration passed over his face at the mention of Juahir.

“Thrawn, what aren’t you telling me? Did something happen to Juahir? Or Driller?”

A million horrible possibilities ran through her mind in an instant.

“As far as I know they are perfectly fine, or I would imagine so.”

“Are you always this evasive?” Nicks we’re turning into inconvenient cuts, like on a fingertip - inescapable but not entirely problematic. Just…annoying. 

He merely smiled. “Come, sit with me.” 

She tipped the last of the coffee back and placed the untouched galette on the table before settling on the couch. He shifted so one leg was along the back, the other on the floor, leaving her plenty of space on the deep cushion to comfortably sit between his legs and lie back on his chest while he tucked into the corner of couch. A less obscene version of last night. With Hera. There was a pulsing in her core at the thought.

“You seem to enjoy sitting like this.” She liked it too, the sensation of his skin, of his body, and it made her feel safe - like he could curl around her to create a human shield. 

“I do.”

“Care to elaborate?”

“Not particularly, no.”

Her shoulders drew together in tension. The guessing game was wearing a bit thin but maybe he was just surly after waking up. 

A hand came up and idly toyed with the spot where the robe crossed at her chest, running along the edges but not contacting her skin.

“Did you enjoy last night? Truly?” He asked once she had settled.

“I will never forget it for as long as I live.” It was true but somehow that answer felt incongruent with the tone of his inquiry. 

“That doesn’t answer the question”

Growing even more frustrated with the double standard of this conversation she responded with a curt, “Yes”

“Did you have a favorite part? A particular activity that you enjoyed best?” 

“Are you surveying me?” She snapped. 

He was no longer worrying the lace, he had slipped the hand just inside her robe, rubbing his fingertips up and down her sternum.

“And if I was?”

Arihnda huffed in exasperation, knowing she was fighting an uphill battle and wasn’t sure this was the hill on which she wanted to die this morning, _afternoon, whatever._ “My brain is still a bit foggy, I just...I need a moment to decide.”

“Very well” his tone was flat, tinted with only the palest shade of amusement.

Her clavicle was now the object of his petting. It was extremely distracting and caused a pleasant humming in her veins. She shifted her hips and thighs in reflex to her increasing arousal. 

Thrawn tsk-tsk’d, “None of that.” His other hand went to her thigh to still it. “You were going to tell me what you most enjoyed.” She wondered if he ever turned _it_ off or if he was really intending to control her entirely - not an unpleasant thought last night but the frustration of their conversation, the complete lack of ease, made the prospect significantly less appetizing.

She thought about it more. Kissing him ranked extremely high on the list, as did being forced to describe how should would approach making him hard without touching. And then there was Hera. _Kriff, that tongue._

“The most intense was obviously the impact scene, that’s the correct term, right?” 

“It is. Continue” 

“I enjoyed that but it was exhausting. I would like to do that again, one day. The challenge and reward were a strange contrast. But it was ...difficult.” 

Fingers on one side and thumb on the other, he was lazily stroking up and down the column of her throat just a few inches above her collarbone. A purely possessive gesture. 

“But I think my favorite part was finally being allowed to kiss you.” 

She hoped she would get points for boldness and wanted to judge the impact of her words herself by craning her neck around and look up at his face as she spoke. 

His hand had stilled against the base of her throat, gaze locked on the viewport again. 

“If you remember, you were never given permission to do that.” It wasn’t playful. It was dry and grating. 

“You didn’t stop me-” 

“No, no, I suppose I didn’t. I apologize for implying you acted inappropriately.” 

He sighed, still looking out the viewport and brought his arm up to rest on the back of the couch while the other ran through his hair a few times, returning any wayward hairs into his short but slicked back style, before falling to his face, hiding his eyes behind his forearm. 

“I really wish you hadn’t said that was the highlight.” Still flat, now more tense than anything approaching rude. 

“Why?” Her pace picked up, not because of any nice feelings between her legs. 

“Because it complicates this a great deal.” 

“I don’t mean to throw your own line back at you, but what do you mean by ‘this’?” She turned away from his face, not sure she wanted to see his emotions but still wanting to burrow against him, maintain their connection physically if not emotionally compatible at the moment. 

He laughed, it was a bitter sound that made Arihnda cringe. 

“Arihnda, would you please sit up? I am finding it difficult to concentrate with you rubbing against me.” 

She bent forward, then realization dawning, snapped to standing and whirled on him. 

“You did say my name last night. How...how do you know my name?” Vindicated because she hadn’t imagined it in some silly school-girl crush sort of manner but now it was even less explicable. 

“That would be the complication to the ‘this’. Please, sit. I don’t have a preference where but I feel I should be honest and that includes being able to look at you while I speak.” 

His voice was low and sounded tired but from stress, not earned through any expenditure of energy. 

She fell back to the couch, mimicking his position but with her legs again curled to the side. 

“I know your name is Arihnda because your friend Juahir told me.” 

She squinted at him suspiciously, “so? I assumed you knew each other anyway from these parties. She probably mentioned it in passing or something.” Waving a hand, brushing aside the invisible tendrils of anxiety threatening to choke them both. 

“I hope you will continue to give me the benefit of the doubt as I continue.” Soundlessly his chest rose, the breath stuttered on his exhale. “Yes, I have met her on previous occasions but we never conversed about you.” 

She reset her features to something resembling neutral as he continued. 

“Arihnda, you’re an intelligent woman, did you not find it strange that I selected you out of the crowd immediately after a demo of a kink you were extremely interested in exploring?” Condescension was not going to diffuse whatever was happening, yet it was dripping from that last statement. 

It was her turn to laugh bitterly, “I thought...I hoped you thought I looked eager and maybe found me attractive. I don’t know.” She shrugged but refused to drop her eyes, no matter how much the sincerity in his face was starting to churn her insides. 

He broke first, holding the bridge of his nose and focusing on the ceiling, inhaling deeply to find the right words or exhaling the wrong ones, she wasn’t sure. “Do you trust me, Arihnda?” The way he said her name, it came out like a purr. She could grow to like that - if the timing wasn’t so inappropriate. 

“I thought I did but clearly there is something going on that I don’t understand and I’m starting to think is going to royally fuck up my perception of the night.” Her voice crackling with anxiety, physically manifested as a force squeezing her vocal cords. 

That drew his attention back to her. 

“And would you trust me if I said after spending mere moments in your presence I would have allowed you to use my body in any manner you pleased if it meant I could have you to myself?” 

Her heart was racing at that confession. That sincerity was now mixing with a vulnerable pain that was hard to look at. Still, she stayed impassive but attentive. 

“You wouldn’t,” she cleared her throat, trying to break the grip on her throat, “you wouldn’t let me touch you and denied every single one of my advances. I’m not sure how that squares with what you’re saying.” 

“Because I can’t fuck you.” Cold. Voice raised just slightly to cut off anything else she might have to say. “It would be crossing a line, violating your trust in a way I could never forgive myself for, let alone expect you to even consider.” 

“Out with it Thrawn, what am I missing? Do you have something communicable? We have barriers. I’m not worried about that and I’m on hormone blockers so there’s almost no risk of pregnancy.” 

“Of course you’re that understanding and sex positive,” he muttered closing his eyes, now speaking to the couch cushion between them that might as well be a canyon threatening to swallow them both, “I believe Hera was correct about you being a droid of some sort because you are positively unreal.” He shook his head again, a deliberate action buying himself time but likely clearing his mind of the same thoughts she was having about last night. 

Bright eyed and direct, he shattered the fragile silence: “Arihnda, Juahir paid me money in exchange for assuring you could live out some of your fantasies last night.” 

Everything stopped. The dust motes were no longer swirling, the steam rising from the pot of caf might as well have been a cloud on a still day, her heart, most of all, quit beating. 

Then it all moved at lightspeed. 

“Ok, hold on” she stood and started pacing near the window, “Juahir hired you to play with me? To, what, be my escort for the evening?” Her voice was shrill, hurting her own ears but unwilling to control it. 

_Oh no,_ he looked broken now. “Yes, that’s exactly correct.” 

She took a deep breath and continued pacing, simultaneously wanting to held by him and be as far way as possible. Pacing satiated those warring emotions just fine for now. 

“Is that what you do? Are you an escort?” The space was oppressive even in its grandeur, “I don’t mean that with any judgment, I’m honestly just trying to understand the situation.” 

“Escort, no. Just very talented when it comes to my...hobbies. I don’t make it a habit of accepting money for such things. I am generally busy enough with my own play partners. But Juahir sounded desperate and made it seem like you would be a walking speeder wreck. I more or less wanted to be able to cover my bar tab if I needed to drink my way to an exit strategy.” 

“Hold on, there’s a lot to unpack there, give me just a second.” She mentally filed each thought in order of how she wanted to approach them. They shuffled out of order by the time she opened her mouth. 

“You said you are generally busy enough with your play partners. Did you skip out on them to attend to Juahir’s charity case friend?” She know it sounded petulant but she wanted to know. She had a right to be irrational, even if it was due to a spike of jealousy. 

He shook his head slightly, “I did not. I have not had success finding partners as of late. Unable to connect or some such.” He waved his hand to dismiss that line of thought. Head tipping to the side, “How is that the most relevant part?” 

“I didn’t say it was the most relevant - you don’t get to ask questions right now. You could really hurt someone doing...what we did,” color and heat were rising to her cheeks, and hating herself for the reaction, “if you were drunk. What would have been your plan if I had been hideous or otherwise awful?” 

“I had intended on doing a small demo, a brief tour, then finish with copious amounts of alcohol until Juahir collected her friend and I could stumble somewhere hopefully not too uncomfortable to convince myself it was merely a bad dream.” At least it was honest. Not that that counted for shavit. 

“Why even take the offer if you were so convinced it would be terrible?” 

“I owed Hera a favor. A few favors, actually. We may not get along but we’ve known each other for years.” He paused as if reliving some painful memory. _Good._ “I’d rather not discuss that right now if it’s all the same. Just please accept that it was a favor owed to repay part of a debt.” He shrugged one shoulder, “and if it went horribly, it would at least entertain her for years to come.” 

She continued pacing in silence, trapped in her own head and unable - unwilling - to even acknowledge his attempt at levity. 

“I have one of Hondo’s shuttles on call to take you home whenever you’re ready.” She wanted to slap him for interrupting her brooding. The fact that it was to end the conversation was infuriating. She has so much more to say. She wanted to rage at him, then heaved a heavy sigh and dropped her shoulders. _What was the point?_ She would walk away, brush the dirt from her hands, and go back to real life. 

“That would be best.” 

He nodded, standing and retrieving a satchel from the armoire. “I have gathered your belongings. There’s a clean tunic and leggings in the drawer. I will step outside until you are ready to leave.” 

Arihnda waited until the door hissed shut before dropping her head into her hands and rubbing furiously at her eyes. There were no tears. Just frustration burning away at her insides. Frustration, disappointment, embarrassment, and a thin layer of self-deprecating congratulations. 

“I knew it was too good to be true. I knew there was a catch.” In a mocking tone she continued talking to herself, “Throw caution to the wind, let go, say yes!” She wrenched open the drawer, cracking at the end of the track. “Listening to my own voice has served me well enough.” She was mumbling now while quickly dressing, almost opting to wear the robe instead of the black leggings and slate tunic that could have easily been picked from her own closet. “Damn him. Damn Juahir.” 

She stomped out of the room, “which way?” 

Thrawn gestured down the hall. With icy precision she walked away, expecting to make the journey alone. She’d ask for directions from a droid or a maid if she got lost but she really just needed to be away from him. 

“I can find my own way out,” she stated, not slowing, not turning around. 

“Nonsense, I will walk you to the platform.” 

That was the wrong thing to say. She spun on her heel and balled her hands into fists at her side. “No, you don’t get to make decisions for me. You don’t get participate. You don’t get to share the same breathing space as myself. Give me the directions, I will see myself out. Then I never want to see you again, do you understand? This has been a fine lesson in why I do things my own way. Listening to and trusting others on a whim has proven to be a recipe for disaster.” 

She hadn’t intended to say that much to him. She didn’t owe him an explanation. It was obvious why she was furious; surely his head wasn’t so far up his own ass to honestly think she would accept anything from him from this point forward. 

“Very well,” and he gave her clear and concise instructions. 


	7. Useless

_Watch the clock on the wall | Feel the slowing of time | Hear a voice in the hall | Echoing in my mind_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtQKcnK4aZU)

 

She only had to backtrack twice after making the wrong turn but she made it out and thanked the stars that all of Hondo’s shuttles were piloted by droids and no one else was aboard. She would need to avoid human interaction for days to make up for this one night’s worth of socializing.

Now she was in her room staring at the ceiling, supported by 4 plain white walls. She had a small holo of her parents and a framed image of a painting she enjoyed as a kid that her mother had given her as a housewarming gift years ago hanging on one wall. Everything else served a practical purpose or was utilitarian by design.

She faked sleep when Juahir came home and wanted to talk. Mistaking the reason for exhaustion, Juahir giggled on the way out, “must have been some party after we left.”

She should know, she orchestrated the whole thing, Arihnda thought bitterly.

Soon the fake sleeping gave way to true sleep but it was cold in her bed and dreamless. Sleep for sleep’s sake and nothing else.

She managed to avoid Juahir for most of the next day as well until she spent too long in the kitchen, warming up something in a white to-go container she pulled from the conservator, unsure of the contents but uncaring as long as it was edible. 

Cheerfully and suggestively, Juahir inquired about her night at the party, “So, how’d it go? Do anything all that exciting? I admit I was a little worried about leaving you alone but you seemed to have made it back in one sleepy piece.”

“It was fine. I’m not so sure it’s my speed though. I didn’t really meet anyone all that interesting or do much of anything besides have a few drinks and people watch.”

“That’s not what I heard” she responded in a sing-songy tone threaded with teasing.

“You heard wrong then. I spoke very little and did even less. I won’t be going back.”

Juahir frowned at the acid in her friend’s tone, “I’m...I’m sorry you had such a bad time Arihnda. I thought for sure you would at least check out that wax demo.”

“And why is that Juahir?” She was staring down her roommate at this point, her gaze brooking no argument or attempts at deception. “Why are you so confident that I would have a good time and that something else gossip worthy happened?”

Juahir’s face melted into a frown and she shifted her gaze to the floor, “how did you find out?”

“That’s your first question? That’s what you want to start off this conversation with? You want to know how? The guy you hired to...to pretend to be interested in me wouldn’t fuck me because he couldn’t come to terms with the idea that he was ultimately being paid for sex instead of just being honest from the start.” She was breathless, words running together in one furious wave. “I could have at least respected that move instead of...” she wanted to scream every dirty detail at Juahir, though she imagined she had heard most of them anyway, probably from Hera. That entire scene was supposed to be built on trust and discretion. “Never mind, it doesn’t matter what happened. It was all bullshit.”

“Arihnda I’m so..”

“The next word that comes out of your mouth better not be sorry. I don’t want your apology,” she was positively seething now. “How could you? Do you honestly think I am that so pathetic that I couldn’t go to what devolved into an orgy, more or less, and find someone for myself? You have no idea what you did. You just can’t leave things alone, can you? Why does everything have to have an ulterior motive with you? Why so much deception?” Frustrated rage threatened to overwhelm her but she refused to cry. Juahir would not see anything aside from boiling anger. That was all she felt, anyway, or all she wanted to feel, at least.

She took a deep breath and when Juahir didn’t attempt to speak, Arihnda concluded, her tone deadly calm now, “I don’t know if I will ever be able to forgive you. You have no idea what you’ve done to me. No kriffing idea.”

Arihnda decided to leave her food behind, and her so-called friend, no, Juahir was permanently downgraded to roommate until she could find somewhere else to live. Arihnda would likely have to move to a lower level but it was better than the shame and embarrassment and rage she would would see every time she looked at Juahir.

Without a destination in mind, Arihnda found herself wandering through the garden in the senate district. On a bench in a particularly quiet area she dropped her head into her hands and tried to come up with a plan. But she had none. She couldn’t move. She couldn’t undo anything. 

And she probably couldn’t forget if she tried.

Late at night, when she couldn’t find sleep, her mind would do the a classic anxiety thing, reliving every horrible moment she ever experienced, from teen years on. But on nights like this, one thing was absolutely consistent: glowing red eyes would haunt her just before collapse.

And on her most unfortunate days she would remember green lekku, and blinding, cleansing pain, and gentle touches while being held tightly by blue arms. 

The very last one the most awful. She would wake up exhausted with red eyes. 

In spite of Juahir, in spite of Hera, in spite of _him_ , she carried on proudly with her head up high, or so it looked on the outside. She went to the gym everyday, punishing routines providing some sort of masochistic physical release, sparked a friendship with a girl at work who shared a common love of wine and horrible holodramas, made it a point to speak with her parents weekly. 

Once her mother asked her why she was so blue. Arihnda nearly choked.

She was absolutely fucking bored.

But such was life these days. She had been on a few dates, went home with a few more. Some were creative but rarely without her direction.

She regularly cursed Juahir, cursed Hera, cursed _him._

She had been enlightened then denied all in the span of a day.

At the tail end of winter, a courier arrived at the door and delivered two ornate envelopes with the seal for “Hondo Onaka Events”. One was addressed to Juahir. One was addressed to Arihnda.

Her’s went immediately into the trash.

A week later she was cleaning her room and found the satchel she took home that day. It had been thrown into the back corner and dutifully ignored until forgotten. 

She decided to empty the contents on to the floor and sort through them. The thunk of heavy boots and clatter of metal echoed through her sparse room. The boots would be returned to the closet, the bra and lower harness into her lingerie drawer, tucked into the back under more appropriate items. It would appear the ruined underwear had already been disposed of - her face warmed at the thought of how they were destroyed but also mildly grateful dirty underwear weren’t sitting in the bag for months.

There were more things in the bag that weren’t hers: a black satin nightgown slipped through her fingers, more memories - the start of painful memories. And then there was a creased envelope containing a piece of flimsy that she straightened out with shaking fingers. Surprisingly elegant script filled the page:

_Arihnda, Thank you for putting your trust in me for the evening. It’s clear I did not deserve such an honor but I am grateful for the opportunity to spend time with you. It is my sincerest hope that we might meet again but the memories of you will sustain me for a lifetime._

_Please forgive Juahir, she merely wanted you to find happiness, even for a night._

_It was I who ruined her plan by finding you absolutely irresistible. Never have I wanted to wake up to someone each and every morning until you._

_I apologize for rambling and for being too much of a coward to be honest from the start._

_All my best and eternally yours,_

_Mitth’raw’nuruodo_

_\-- I included the credit chip I was paid for our evening. Return it to Juahir, donate it, spend it on yourself. It has caused me enough grief._

Sure enough, there was a credit chip tucked inside. 

_So his name was more exotic_ , she thought with a huff, recalling her stupid disappointment in his seemingly normal name. 

Then another thought occurred: _even in his apology letter he’s giving me commands. Does he know how to do anything else?_

What did this change? Anything? Everything?

That evening, Juahir had returned home to find Arihnda seated at the nook in the kitchen engrossed in her data pad. She attempted to quietly back out of the room. They had not spoken about anything besides logistics of living together, an ironclad lease preventing either from leaving, paying bills, groceries, that sort, since _that_ weekend.

“Juahir, could we please talk?”

Juahir stopped dead in her tracks, tension clearly visible in the set of her shoulders. An animal debating whether this was a fight or flight situation.

“Su..sure.”

Arihnda did not have a smile for Juahir, nothing beyond neutral impassivity. But she gestured for her roommate to take the seat across from her. Once settled, Juahir’s body turned in such a way that she could easily jump from the table and run if necessary. Arihnda filled her lungs and spoke, “I know why you did it. If things had gone differently, I might have appreciated the gesture. But you didn’t even give me the option to fail for myself. I understand that you thought it was some way to protect me, you’ve always been my behind-the-scenes guardian.”

Juahir straightened a little and smiled. Arihnda’s face did not change. It wasn’t a compliment.

“If you had just left it alone, it’s possible, in fact highly probable, I would have found Thrawn anyway despite your meddling. Or someone else. I might have had a terrible time. It doesn’t matter - those would be the consequences of my choices.”

Juahir looked down, finding the dirt under her nails a safe place to focus.

“Do you know? Beyond the fetish and whatever stuff, do you know how alive I felt with him? I finally took your advice and let go! Jumped right in! The whole time I had a voice in the back of my head telling me that there was something wrong and for once in my kriffing life I ignored it!” Arihnda sagged against her chair. “At least he was honest enough to tell me the next morning.”

She could feel the fire in her cheeks, her eyes were starting to burn. Juahir had started sniffling but kept her gaze downward. 

“Would you have ever told me?”

Juahir shook her head and shrugged. “I don’t know. I didn’t think that…”

“Clearly you didn’t think! You never think things through. You see what you want and act on that alone.” Tired anger weaving in and out as she spoke.

“I made a mistake! An error in judgment! But you don’t get to make broad statements about my entire life, Arihnda. That’s not fair. I made a mistake and I am so _so_ sorry that it spiraled so far out of control. You wouldn’t even let me talk to you about how I might be able to make it up to you - to earn back your trust. After everything we’ve done together, you shut me out completely.” Juahir was shouting all but the last statement. That lapsed into a raspy whisper.

“I could see glimpses of a future with him after one night that I never saw in the years I was with Ottlis.” Arihnda was whispering now, too. As if saying the words too loudly, creating sound waves that were too strong, would shatter everything inside of her, reducing her to slivers and sand.

Juahir locked her red rimmed eyes on Arihnda’s and pleaded, “You deserve that future Arihnda, you deserve happiness and someone to care for you. But you’re the only one standing in the way of that happiness. If you just gave people a chance to atone for their sins, you might find a future that isn’t so bleak.”

Arihnda took the full impact of the words like a punch to the gut. After a moment she rose. Taking the credit chip from her pocket, she set it on the table before Juahir, “here’s your refund,” then walked back to her room, closed the door, and sank against it with an unfocused stare into infinity.

Feeling miserable the next day as well, when she got home from work she was very much looking forward to ordering in some greasy Corellian food, pairing it with a bottle of something dry and bitter that would help her forget until she found sleep.

Instead, she discovered an assertive green Twi’lek in garish orange utilities sitting in her kitchen.

“Hello Arihnda” Hera purred, knowing full well that she successfully caught the human woman off-guard.

Eyes narrowing into threatening slits, Arihnda growled “leave, now.”

It was clear this was going to turn into a battle of wills, sadly, Arihnda thought, not something that could be settled like two wild cats fighting for territory.

“No, I don’t think I will. Sit.” She gestured to the chair Arihnda had spent so much time in the day before waiting for Juahir to come home.

“I absolutely will not.” Her tone imperious, she hoped.

“You will or I will drag you over here by your hair.” Hera then pursed her lips in a sneer, “but I think you might enjoy that too much.”

“I never wanted to see you again and I definitely don’t want you to touch me.” The argument was weak but she said it anyway while making a show of collapsing into the chair.

“Much better, thank you.”

“What do you want Hera? I’ve had a really bad couple of days, weeks, whatever, and really don’t want to see another person until tomorrow.”

“That’s...pathetic. You know that right? Absolutely pathetic.” Hera’s tone was infuriatingly smug.

“I do appreciate your unqualified opinion.” Arihnda rolled her eyes to keep from reaching across the table and slapping the Twi’lek.

“You will sit there and let me speak. You will not interject until I’m finished. In exchange, I will make it as brief as possible. Understood?” Arihnda imagined that was the same tone Hera might use when speaking to a submissive. 

The thought made her traitorous heart race.

“Fine.”

“Look, I know you’re mad at the world because Juahir tried to help her best friend have a good night by making it an absolute certainty that that friend would meet an extremely attractive man who would show her the ropes - sorry, no pun intended.”

Again, Arihnda rolled her eyes. “That’s an over simplif…”

Raising her voice, very calmly and very seriously Hera spoke over her, “I’m certain I have a ball gag somewhere if you can’t follow a simple instruction.”

Arihnda straightened her spine and leaned away from the table, arms crossed on her chest, physically guarding her heart, hoping Twi’lek’s didn’t have super vision or super hearing to notice her pulse picking up again.

“I don’t care about your interpretation of events, honestly. Because my version is the truth. Now the other side of the story is that I more or less did the same for someone I consider maybe a friend but someone I care enough about that I couldn’t stand seeing him mope around. Has he told you about how he ended up on Coruscant? Probably not. It’s not my story to tell but there’s a reason you’ve never seen another Chiss.” 

She sighed and sagged back into her seat before continuing.

“We have some weird history and fierce competition over dumb things but honestly I just need him to be ok. When Juahir told me about you, I insisted she show me a holo. I immediately wanted to take the job myself but knew I needed to work and wasn’t sure you’d be receptive to a woman anyway.”

Arihnda made some sort of scoff that was part agreement part annoyance that so many assumptions had been made. Then again, she had never told anyone about her attraction to women.

Hera continued, “I’m the one that suggested the payment because I wanted to make sure he followed through. I hadn’t seen him talk to anyone not involved in a public demo for months. So if you’re going to be pissed at anyone, direct it all right here, love, because I can take it. And I don’t think you can stay mad at me nearly as long.” Hera ended on a wink. Her confidence was annoyingly unwavering.

Arihnda sat in silence for a long while, processing through everything she had just been told. When the quiet became too much for Hera she slapped a hand on the table, startling Arihnda out of her thoughts.

“Would you be this mad if Juahir set you up on a blind date?”

“No, but that also implies that I was aware it was happening.”

Hera waved a hand, “Semantics. That’s basically is what happened here. We set up our friends on a blind date because we thought they might get along and find something in common, god knows what, but anything that would hopefully lead to a great night for them both.”

“But she paid someone to flirt with me.”

Hera’s lekku twitched in irritation and she was starting to turn a deep forest green in the face. “And it ended with some really sexy shit! I don’t understand the problem. You’re punishing yourself and not even in a fun way.” She took a deep breath to calm herself. “I’m not saying I disagree with Thrawn’s decisions after the fact, it’s respectable. But you are being entirely too dramatic.” 

“I think you should leave.” A dangerous edge to her tone, Arihnda wanted to get back to her original plan for the evening, skipping dinner and going straight for the wine. This was all too much. She had made peace with her anger and would suffer through the dreams and memories as a reminder she was the only person she could ever trust.

She had finalized her version of events and could not, would not, be swayed.

Hera stood, chair scraping across the laminate floor and leaned forward onto her hands, looking Arihnda in the eye from half an arm’s length away. “Get the fuck over yourself Arihnda.” Standing straight, she continued with venom in her tone, going for the jugular of her prey, “You know what, I’m glad this fell apart - clearly you’re broken and I wouldn’t want to watch you break Thrawn too.”

“You don’t even know me. Just because we...did whatever doesn’t mean you know a single thing about me.”

Hera’s eyes became slits, “Has anyone ever told you that your obstinance is exhausting?”

“Once or twice.” Arihnda responded almost proudly. Her stubbornness had been a double edged sword all her life, cutting down obstacles and people standing in her way, removing them from her life forever.

Hera squinted as if re-evaluating her entire understanding of Arihnda. “I’m going to go before I do something we’ll both regret in the morning. But I know how to fix this. I know what you need.”

Before Arihnda could respond, a blur of green and orange was speeding from her kitchen.

She skipped the wine and went straight to bed.


	8. Stonefist

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> d u b c o n. Dub-con. DUB-CON.
> 
> Don't say I didn't warn you.

_And though we know | How far we've come | We stay possessed | By what we lost_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G1qvEr9bC6c)

 

A week went by, then another. The dreams of cerulean skin and glowing red eyes were more frequent than ever. She wondered if this is what insanity was - reliving the worst and filling in the blanks with contradicting possibilities.

She had started to forgive Juahir in so much as they could be in the same room together and actually had a conversation the day before. It was about something that had happened in the news, but it was progress, she supposed. 

Today was the spring bacchanalia at Hondo’s. Juahir had decided to get ready at Driller’s - Arihnda was grateful.

She was lounging in the living room, watching a terrible romance holodrama her coworker had recommended, not Wynnsa Starflare’s finest work but still entertaining in a cringeworthy way, when the door buzzed. She had ordered Alderaanian - mostly vegetables and lean meat - for the night, not wanting anything too heavy. She grabbed her purse off the table in the entryway and was digging through it, looking for a credit chit to use as a tip, “that was fast.”

Except it wasn’t the delivery guy and she had no time to respond before she was against the wall, pinned in place by strong hands with a possessive grasp around her waist, and hot lips crashing against her own.

She struggled against the intruder out of instinct but both of her hands were captured and held above her head. “Arihnda” she would recognize that voice anywhere - it regularly ruined her sleep by comforting her in dreams. “You may use your safe word whenever you would like. Do not speak otherwise. Nod if you understand.”

She didn’t move a muscle.

“I know you haven’t stopped thinking about me. Because I haven’t stopped thinking about you. I know you’ve seen the letter so I’m not going to apologize again.”

Her brain was firing faster than she could process the thoughts: _makehimleave callthepolice makehimstay hithimhard makehimhard green GREEN!_

The last thought screaming louder than the others but that involved trust she didn’t have. She decided she wouldn’t comply but she wouldn’t use the safe word just yet. 

It was the most interesting thing to happen in weeks. Has she really made her existence so banal? _Apparently,_ she thought grimly. 

“I’m not going to hurt you without your consent but I will have it before the night is over.” Echoing something similar he’d said to her before, but much more weight in the words this time. He released her hands - before they reached her sides, she reached out and slapped his face.

He grinned as his cheek turned violet. “Go sit on your bed and remove your clothing. I will be with you in a moment.” 

When she didn’t move, he sighed and hefted her over his shoulder. She squealed from being startled then kicked her legs. Somehow he managed to swing her around, hooking his arms under her knees and neck, cradling her to his chest and pressed a kiss to her forehead. 

She was caught so off guard by the intimate gesture that she temporarily gave up her struggle, recalling a remarkably similar dream except she was in white. Her eyes were ringed in red that morning.

Her feet were again on the floor and her back was held against the front his body with a hand pressed against her stomach. Another dream remembered, red eyes following that morning too.

Thrawn’s other hand began to undo the buttons of her blouse, very effectively with only one hand. Arihnda brought her hands up to still Thrawn’s. “I will do it.”

“You will then sit on the bed. I will return in a moment.”

She didn’t respond but continued to undress and paced the room, disgusted by her lack of fortitude. She convinced herself that it was purely out of boredom and she would end it before it got too far. 

Something made a heavy thud against the floor when she had turned away from the door.

“I suppose if you were only going to follow one command, this would have been the preferred option.” He didn’t say anything else but took two long bars with rings on each end from the bag along with a few sections of rope. He also removed a small black piece of fabric then quickly zipped the bag shut, hiding the contents. 

Again he caught her off guard by slipping an arm around her waist from behind. “Be still.” He then dropped to one knee, slid a hand up the inside of her leg stopping just above her knee, and pressed outward. Feeling off balance, she stepped wide to stop from falling but continued to hold still. Thrawn quickly snapped one binder around her left ankle, then the right - binders attached to one of the bars. “Thank you. I don’t suppose I could get you to hold out your arms?”

She folded them across her chest.

“Fine.” He slid his hand all the way up her spine and locked it into her hair, pulling just enough to be felt but not to cause much pain. He stepped around to her front, tugging her head back and ran the top of his tongue along her bottom lip the captured it between his teeth. She sighed and shifted her hips forward involuntarily, wanting to grind against his leg. _Oh!_ , amusingly she thought, she felt a bulge against her belly.

She sighed again, still curious what his cock would feel like in her hand, her mouth, her cunt. It sent tendrils of electricity through her veins. She might need a lobotomy after he leaves as her brain was clearly at odds with itself.

He released her lip and spoke against them, “Arihnda, would you like to touch me?”

Her hands fell to her side but she did not reach out to him, nails digging crescents into her skin to keep them from moving. 

He again dropped to his knees in front of her, nakedness suddenly becoming very apparent, and licked from the top of her pubic bone to her navel.

Then he closed a binder around her left wrist, lifted the bar up, rotating her shoulder in the process and brought her right hand to meet the bar so her arms were held up and out.

She was striving for a blank, neutral expression but thought her eyes might betray the truth: that she was enjoying this. A lot.

“Predicting my next command, excellent.” He slipped a soft mask over her eyes, securing the band behind her head, taking care to not pinch her ears.

“Please let me know if that’s uncomfortable.”

Silence. He unzipped the bag again, then she started at the dull snap of fabric being unfolded. She heard him sigh with a touch of humor, “Arihnda, I realize this will be a bit awkward but I need you to back up about 3 steps to make contact with the bed then please sit.”

She didn’t move.

“Easy enough,” Thrawn said before he lifted her just a few inches into the air by her waist, set her down, and pushed against her torso so she fell into a seated position on the bed. He then brought her feet up, turning her in the process, then came around and pulled down on the bar above her arms until she was flat. He placed a pillow under her head. She wiggled around a little to work out any kinks and realized she was not on her normal sheets, her skin glided as she moved.

“I brought my own sheet for this, figuring you opted for something less enjoyable for your bed coverings.”

“How thoughtful,” she snapped in response, more aggressively than intended but hoped she scored a hit. 

Thrawn said nothing else for the next few minutes which suited Arihnda just fine. She wondered if this was an extremely vivid dream because she was only ever this compliant in the safety of her own mind. 

The bar at her feet was pulled tight and she was unable to move. A moment later the same was true of the top. 

The bed dipped as Thrawn sat beside her gently stroking the line from her sternum to her navel, continuing the path his tongue had started earlier.

“Arihnda, I will not cause you pain nor will I perform any overtly sexual acts until you consent. I have already proven to you once that I will not cross certain boundaries, no matter how sweet the temptation.” She fought the urge to lift herself from the bed as he ran a finger outside her areola, wishing for more substantial contact. The reality was the whole set up was causing an ache in her cunt that she couldn’t deny but would ignore. Her intention was to wait him out - frustrate him to the point of failure and force him out of her life, permanently and under no uncertain terms. She could channel every bit of stubbornness she had ever been accused of having. It would work.

The bed shifted again when he rose and she heard steps down the hallway, then the distinct sound of ice cubes filling a cocktail glass. She was convinced her hearing intensified at the loss of vision, recognizing his position in the house and room based on the various sounds.

And then the door chimed. She had forgotten about dinner. 

Muffled voices carried down the hall, the food was set on the counter, then the glass was picked back up and brought into the room. Zipper on the bag again. The hiss of a lighter and soft crackle of flame. Glass set onto her night stand. The last two repeated 3 times then a soft floral scent followed. Music came from her left, and it was loud. Not annoyingly so but... _oh_ , she thought, that’s why. The music masked Thrawn’s quiet movements. _Jerk._

Then something soft but heavy, it felt like multiple cords of the same material, feathered across her stomach. It wasn’t quite a tickle, more pleasant but it set her nerves aflame all the same. It was dragged down her torso, over her legs, strategically missing her cunt but hitting the tender inside of her thighs which caused her knees to involuntarily pull together. Except she could only turn them in a few degrees. Torso again, between breasts, over one collarbone, down one arm, and back again. Then around one breast, again avoiding the nipple, repeated on the other side, and back to the torso. Soft was replaced with sharp but still a light touch. It felt like a claw with pointed nails and she supposed it was a glove when Thrawn drew lines up her chest then opened his hand to encircling her soft mound and drew his fingers together like a pincer, stopping just short of her nipple.

She moaned softly, a pleading sound echoing in her own ears. The sensation of the glove disconnecting her concentration from suppressing her reactions.

“You sound better than I remember” he spoke directly into her ear, breath warm on her neck.

She had no retort, redoubling her control.

Ice was the next torture inflicted upon her body. No, not just ice. _Kriff_. Every place an ice cube went, his warm mouth followed. She almost short circuited when a drop of water rolled down her thigh against the surely swollen lips of her slit, keeping her own wetness concealed, but she bit her tongue to keep from keening.

She was mourning alright: grieving the loss of the promise to herself that she would never let anyone have control over her, the loss of resolve, the loss of the containment field she had erected to protect her heart from thoughts of Thrawn during her waking hours. 

The ice circled her nipple, as was common now but his mouth did not follow, instead he blew across the wet skin. This time she couldn’t help but lift off the bed in search of stimulation where she wanted it - needed it. The remnants of an ice cube was trapped on his tongue as he licked up the side of her neck and ended at the base of her ear where he ran the tip of his tongue, still cold despite the ice cube having melted along his trek, around the outer shell, forcing her to clench her hands into fists, again stabbing nails into skin to avoid reacting.

There was no touch for a minute. Two minutes. Three. The water had all dried, leaving cold brands in their wake.

Had she won? Had he given up and was wallowing in his defeat?

Something broad, maybe a third of the width of her torso, and heavy was settled onto her torso.

“Arihnda, I have placed one of the candles lit earlier onto your stomach. You must hold still or it will tip and spill onto your skin. It is not lit but has melted significantly.”

This was not how she wanted her first wax scene to go but she would hold still regardless. Tightening her core muscle so they wouldn’t flex when she breathed, she concentrated on keeping her breath high in her chest. _This task would be easy._

And it was until the glove came back. This time he outlined her body with only a single finger starting with her right wrist, which alone made her breath puff out, then traced down her arm, down her ribs, which actually did tickle but she used deep steadying breaths slowly released through her mouth to keep from jerking. 

By the time he had finished she felt victorious, having braved the onslaught and succeeded in her task, and he removed the candle from her stomach.

“I am in awe of your resolution and determination. I should have known that would translate to stubbornness in all aspects of your life.”

She genuinely smiled at the strange compliment, echoing the pride she felt in herself. 

The music went down to just above a whisper and the room was filled with the sharp scent of burning wick that follows just after a candle is extinguished. Then Thrawn climbed onto the bed and settled between her knees, rough pants brushing the inside of her thighs. 

He had no tools, no implements, no tasks for her. Instead his hands reverently explored her body. 

“Such beauty is rare in this world, surely it exists but more often in pieces, not a complete collection contained in a single form.”

The sincerity in his words coupled with a hand gently caressing her face destroyed the last of her defenses. She turned her head and placed a kiss in his palm, letting her lips linger. 

“Can you please remove my blindfold,” she took a deep breath to steel herself against the next thing she was going to say, knowing it was going to change everything. Undo everything she had spent the last 3 months trying to block from her mind. It was all unsuccessful anyway. Giving in couldn’t make things worse for her at this point so she continued, “sir?”


	9. #1 Crush

_Violate all the love that I'm missing | Throw away all the pain that I'm living | You will believe in me | And I could never be ignored_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX7LLua5NCM)

 

She couldn’t fight this anymore. The way he made her feel was unlike anything else. He was all consuming without smothering, replacing racing thoughts with tasks she was eager to perform - quieting her mind. A small part of her withered under the rising tide of emotion but decided she couldn’t run forever, wouldn’t carry a grudge until she died. She would forgive Juahir. She would forgive Hera. She would forgive Thrawn.

“Of course, pet. Keep your eyes closed, allow them to adjust to the light for a few moments.” He coached helpfully. 

Once the blindfold has been lifted, she scrunched her eyes against the brightness only to realize it the room seemed no brighter than a glow. Still, she complied. 

Thrawn leaned forward, pillow dipping as he placed his hands on either side of her head then shifted his weight forward enough to place a tender kiss on each of her lids. Then one on her lips. He didn’t sit up but stayed hovering above her, breath obviously controlled to maintain his composure. 

She fluttered her eyelids open and sucked in a sharp intake of her own when she saw his face. It was open and vulnerable and hopeful. It was almost more than she could process. 

After she spent a moment exploring every inch of his face, he spoke first. “Arihnda. I cannot continue like we were. I am completely at your mercy and will fulfill every command and desire you might have.” She thought he might continue, add on that he would leave if she wanted but was grateful that he didn’t say the words. She knew she could make him leave. But that wasn’t what she wanted.

“Could you please let me up, sir?”

It was easier to stay in that mindset for now because if she returned to being “Arihnda” that might push her to a breaking point and she didn’t want to collapse into an emotional puddle on the floor. Not just yet. 

A sad smile, a nod, and he was out of her sight, dropping off the bed and walking to each corner to liberate her feet then her right hand, where he lavished her wrist in kisses, recalling his statement about neglect of such a clearly sensitive erogenous zone. 

It made her whimper. Of course he repeated it, a little more confidently on the left side, adding a nip of the flesh to his ministrations. 

He sat on a hip next to hers and she rolled to wrap around him, propping her head on an elbow and smiled up, a genuine smile. Feeling she had drawn out the moment long enough, and knowing that the next move was completely up to her, she smiled coyly and said one word: “Green”

“Green?” He ran a hand down her face, wrapping around to the back of her neck. 

“Green, sir.” She repeated. 

His hand again found its way into her hair and used enough pressure and force to roll her shoulders down so she was flat on the bed except for her head resting on his fist at the back of her skull.

That predatory grin returned, the one that made her soft like clay awaiting a sculptor’s hand to craft her into their masterpiece. 

She knew this was part of the game but also part of the resolution. Thrawn has stalked into her house with a mission that toed the line in a very dangerous way but always leaned away from stepping onto the side that would violate his moral code, leaving ultimate control to her. 

Words inelegantly spilled out - but she had to say them all at once or they would never be said: “touch me, let me touch you, eat my cunt, use my mouth, fuck me, hurt me, make me yours. Anything and everything, sir.” She was trembling at the possibilities, because of the past, for the future. He was still analyzing her face for any sign she was just saying what he wanted to hear, that she felt she was under pressure. She knew there was one more thing that needed to be said and it needed to come from Arihnda.

She whispered into the space between them, “I trust you, Thrawn”

The dam broke. 

~__X__X__X__X__X__X__~

He stripped off his shirt, his boots, his pants, remaining in a pair of tight black undershorts that clung but gave nothing away in the dim light. He then paced around the bed, those glowing eyes the brightest center of the room, stripping her bare beyond her clothing. 

“What ever shall I do with a sweet little pet like you, hm?” He teased. 

“I think…” he stopped moving when he reached a sheet, matching the one on her bed, laid out on the floor, and stood straight, feet slightly apart. “On your knees, right here.” He snapped and pointed to the ground right before him. 

She rose slowly out of the bed, standing on shaky legs and stretched her muscles that had been immobile but straining against restraints. 

He amended the command: “Crawl.”

She understood this was partially due to the shaking he noticed. She made a show of sinking down to hands and knees. With elbows bent low and hips proudly raised, she crawled the few feet, ignoring the scratching carpet, swaying her hips with each movement, watching his face. The lack of pupils made it difficult to know his exact focus but she hoped it was on her ass by the way he was biting down on his back teeth causing his jaw to flex in a way she always found irresistible on men. 

Sitting back on her heels and placing her hands on top of her thighs, she looked up expectantly. 

“You know what to do.” 

She tipped her head in question then lifted her hand to reach out. He turned his head to the side, starting to shake a “no” when she changed course and grasped her breast instead.

She hoped this was how it went - her mind was spinning at the time she spelled out this fantasy and it was one of her less vivid memories from the night. As long as she made it look good she hoped she might get a pass. 

“Correct. Continue”

Emboldened by his approval, she used both hands to massage the flesh, eventually capturing her neglected nipples between thumb and forefinger. Rolling her eyes back, she moaned in delight at the spark of pain, no longer wanting to suppress her reactions. His breathing became unsteady for a moment and when she opened her eyes his face was clouded by hunger. It was terrifying and dangerous. It made her ache with need.

Remembering the next part she slid her hands down her torso, dramatically arching into them while pushing out her hips, widening her knees, rotating her pelvis upward as much as possible. Then, holding his viscous stare, she slid her hand further down, parted her lips, and buried two fingers inside, an audible wet sound filling the silence in the room that might have made her cringe in normal situations but wore it as a badge of honor, a testament to his affect on her. 

Obviously not needing additional lubrication, but wanting to keep that look on his face for as long as possible, she brought the two soaked fingers to her lips, pulling on the bottom with the barest touch then flicked out her tongue before bringing them fully into her mouth. 

She dropped her eyes to the only clothing still on Thrawn’s body, an erection obvious with a slight wet spot forming in the dark fabric. 

“Beautifully done. You may use your hands for now, pet.” His voice was heavy and quiet, full of warning and promise. 

Arihnda hesitated for just a moment, then leaned forward, resuming her seat on her heels, and ran her hands up his thighs, over the shorts and up his sides crossing over his chest, then back down to the elastic waistband. His body was tight and hard and warm. She could explore the sculpt of his form form days. There was always later.

She was nervous, worse than that night, worse than her first time ever having sex. She wanted to badly to please him and suddenly felt inadequate. Surely he has had partners significantly more experienced, more talented than herself.

With trembling hands she slid the black fabric down to his ankles and he gracefully stepped out. Taking a deep breath, she dragged her gaze back up: calves, knees, thighs.

She gasped at the sight of his cock, standing out and curving towards his stomach. It was similar to human, something she hadn’t considered but was very grateful for in the moment, not wanting to have to familiarize herself something entirely new in the moment. 

A beautiful gradient covered the skin, cerulean blue giving way to a deep plum at the head. From her position she could see a smooth spine running from base to tip, seeming to support the curvature and carried her eyes up to the tip which was pointed, almost like a beckoning finger curved seductively, with a trio of ridges in the shape of a chevron wrapping around where the head might end on a human cock and continuing upward on the underside, an arrow pointing up as if providing instructions. _Of course, even his cock is giving me commands._

She brought up her hand to grasp the shaft below the top set of ridges. It fit perfectly against her palm and her thumb found the small indentation to either side of the spine. Below her pinkie was another trio of ridges, these ringed around and provided a delineation from shaft to two large bulges on either side of the subtle spine. Looking vaguely round, she wondered of those would be equivalent to testicles on a human man. A less defined trio of ridges wrapped the bottom edge of the bulges before tapering back in at the juncture of cock and pelvis.

Pumping her hand slowly along his entire length, she found the bulges elicited a growl at the back of his throat but he only continued to watch her exploration, glowing eyes burning bright. At first the ridges made it difficult to find a rhythm but once she was able to work a few drops of precum along the entirety of his cock, she found they were nice markers to indicate where she should change pressure.

The tip was extremely sensitive, causing a pained hiss of breath if she wasn’t careful, she rotated her wrist so that only her thumb brushed against the ridges on the underside and Thrawn relaxed the tension building in his shoulders.

Running back down the midshaft is where she shifted her grip again so that her palm was in contact with the underside squeezing against the spine. The lower ridges indicated she would need to open her hand wider to accommodate the bulges. Arihnda had experimented with a few different grips, trying to judge which brought about the best noises. She found rolling from underhand to overhand and back actually made his knees quake ever so slightly. She assumed it was from equal contact on both sides with palm and fingers.

She carried out this movement fluidly after a few runs: thumb, rotate, squeeze, rotate up and over, then back up in reverse.

Always having a bit of an oral fixation, she thoroughly enjoyed oral sex - Ottlis always allowed her to do so, though rarely reciprocated, _not that he was any good_ \- and was almost desperate to have him in her mouth so she thought it only proper to ask.

“May I use my mouth, sir?”

“You may find my anatomy incompatible with human mouths should you attempt but you are permitted to try.” He said matter-of-factly, like a footnote in an academic journal. 

She sat up onto her knees and used her tongue against the spine. That vague spice was present here as well, mixed with that universal musky male-ness, and just a hint of salt. It was strong but not offensive.

She craved more.

Bringing the tip of her tongue back down, she pressed it heavily against each ridge, feeling one give way to the next then followed the path back down with the broad flat of her tongue. The first causing another hiss, the second a moan.

Finally some sort of reaction came in the form of Thrawn reaching down to delicately wrap his fingers in her hair. “Be more gentle against the ridges. Dull pressure is fine but the point of your tongue is unpleasant.”

She nodded, continuing to explore with her tongue. Once she was confident she understood all of his unique features she lifted her head, licked her lips, and brought them around the tip, working it with a small forward and back motion of her head. Needing to feel more, she moved past the top ridges to fit the shaft into her mouth. She undulated her tongue against the spine, hard enough to cause the edges to curl and run along either side.

Thrawn dropped his hand from her hair and ran it along her cheek bone, praising her mouth and complimenting how beautifully filthy she looked with her lips around him. She wanted to gaze up but his curvature forced her gaze no higher than his navel.

Arihnda relaxed her throat and jaw, ready for more. The finger-like tip slid along her soft palate, tickling the back of her throat and she breathed deeply through her nose to fight the sensation. It was only when her lips were almost to the largest set of ridges that his warning became apparent. The unique shape of the tip was too much against the back of her throat, gagging once against him. She half expected him to hold her head in place, as one charming partner did, nearly ruining her appreciation for giving head. 

Instead he dropped down to her level after she pulled back, bringing a straw to her waiting lips once the coughing subsided. 

“I now understand your disclaimer.”

He laughed, “I am impressed by your willingness to try. And your ability to draw back so quickly without scraping me with teeth - thank you for that.”

Cringing, she joined in the laughter, “Oh god, has that happened?”

He nodded, “by the second time I realized the issue and started with the warning,” he replied flippantly.

Arihnda forced down the odd pang of jealousy at the idea of other lovers. 

As if noticing the burst of negative emotion, Thrawn hooked a finger under her chin and brought her eyes to his, “I am not exaggerating when I say that’s the most pleasure I’ve ever felt from a human mouth. The full visual effect notwithstanding. We will have to explore other options, perhaps a reversed position would be more accommodating.”

She burned with the thought of more, the implication of their future.

He then pressed her onto her back and plundered her mouth, sighing at the feeling of her tongue against his or his taste on her lips, she wasn’t sure. 

Covering his body with hers, she enjoyed the feeling of his smooth skin gliding against her own as he rocked against her, cock digging into her belly almost painfully but she was enjoying the sensation.

He then settled against her side, head propped on elbow, cupping her face with the other hand for another tender kiss. The sudden urge to bite his lip took over and she took it between her teeth and bit down ever so slightly. The growl coming from him was not like before, not lazy and lustful, more urgent and tense.

His face didn’t match the sound. “Oh no pet, that will not do,” his tone bordering on whimsical but his face held something much more ominous.

Eyes wide in fear, wondering if she ruined the moment, wishing she could do anything to make up for that dumb choice. 

But then a grin pulled back his kiss-swollen lips, softening the knot of concern that had so quickly formed in her belly.

“I will need to come up with some form of punishment for that,” his tone full of mirth, though edged with malice.

She nodded once in understanding - less scared and more excited but still bracing for potential pain. Instead she felt two fingers split open her folds and shallowly probe inside her opening.

The world seemed to stop spinning at the realization that this was the first time he had touched her, really touched her. Holding her panties to the side didn’t count, though the memory made her shiver, recalling the pressure against her ass and Hera between her legs.

Seeming to be sharing the memory, Thrawn urged her boneless form to sit up and propped her against the bed while he searched her room for something. He padded back over a moment later with the freestanding mirror she kept next to the closet. He set it down a few feet away then wedged in behind her, positioning her in the same way as that night: feet planted on the outside of his knees, allowing unimpeded access to her cunt.

Wrapping his arms around her chest, head hovering just above hers, she found their reflection a mockery of a common family holo pose. She giggled at the thought.

“Please tell what you find so amusing.”

“This pose, you could be my husband in a family portrait, from the shoulders up at least.” She continued lightly.

They held each other's gaze in the mirror for a tense moment. Then Thrawn dropped his head and bit her neck at the curve of her shoulder, eyes still locked. It wasn’t hard but enough to shift her mind back to the moment.

“Might be difficult to explain if it was full frame,” he joked, but her head was already reeling from the throbbing pain at her neck and the need in her cunt.

“You are so very lovely in any manner. But like this,” he shook his head, “like this, so helpless and exposed and vulnerable,” he whispered something in his native tongue but the reverent tone carried through. He kissed up her neck as one hand traveled down past her navel, the other up to rest gently around the base of her throat, fingers reaching up towards her chin, not to cut off any air but to control the movement of her head.

“I will not limit your movements this time, as long as your feet stay where I put them, but you will keep your eyes forward on the mirror.”

She nodded in understanding. 

“Good,” he kissed her temple before drawing circles around her cunt and she whimpered in protest - feeling and watching his azure fingers against her pale skin was making her drunk from over stimulation.

He then dipped an index finger inside of her and she sighed in relief.

“You feel like the finest velvet under my fingers, Arihnda, and so eager - dripping wet.” He pressed in to the second knuckle and she shifted her head so it was leaning against his, eyes still forward, but seeking every bit of contact available.

She was experiencing a strange mix of emotions, cherished and objectified all at once. 

“So soft, so tight.” He added another finger, slowly working the pair in and out. Arihnda’s hips bucked against the additional intrusion then ground against erection pressing into her back, mewling high in her throat.

“The sounds you make for me are exquisite. I look forward to hearing more.” He hooked the two fingers inside of her, turned up and probed around searching for the spot rarely discovered by any of her other partners. 

“Please tell me what you see in the mirror.” He pumped his fingers a few more times then curled just right, causing her to twitch and whine.

“I...I…,” mind hazy with pleasure she found it difficult to form thoughts let alone words. She tried again, “All I can focus on is your fingers moving in an out of my cunt. I’ve,” she cut herself off with another high pitched whine as he added his thumb, using the pad to rub large circles over her clit in rhythm with his fingers. “I’ve never seen myself penetrated before.”

“Never?”

She shook her head.

“Then I’m glad we get to share this moment because it truly is gorgeous.” He kissed her temple again, the familiarity and tenderness almost too much for Arihnda. It felt too intimate, too sweet. It could quickly become an addiction.

“I am going to add another finger.”

Arihnda whimpered at the stretching sensation, the sting cutting through the moment before, swirling around her like a gust of wind mixing the two together until they were inseparable. Pain can be tender and intimate, sweetness could be explicit and aching. They weren’t mutually exclusive and they were unique to this relationship, because she had already decided it was indeed a relationship with future plans, and to this man.

“You know it will be even more decadent, that stretch, when I have you completely.”

She knew it would too. He had been keeping her too occupied to consider that fact - a challenge both her hand and mouth both knew well.

“May I please cum, sir?” The warmth from her toes was starting to spread and she knew it was only a matter of time.

Thrawn latched onto her ear with his teeth, a burst of heat on such a tender place, upon release he whispered, “no, you may not.”

She sagged against his chest and he continued to rub and finger, never ceasing the stimulation that would undoubtedly bring her to orgasm in moments. So she focused on breathing, visualizing a hand pressing down the rising mercury in a thermometer. 

Then abruptly Thrawn withdrew his hand entirely. 

“You are full of surprises, Arihnda. That was an impressive feat.”

She felt like a balloon deflating after being filled to capacity, wanting to fold in on herself if he wasn’t going to finish what he started. 

“And that was your punishment.” He said with an infuriatingly smug smile. For the briefest of seconds she wondered what would happen if she threw her head back with force and caught some part of his face with her skull.

It brought her some levity, redirecting from focusing on the empty throbbing inside her, every nerve screaming for stimulation.

“But I meant every single word I said.” Turning her head to engage her in another kiss full of fire and honey. He instructed her to stretch her legs out in front and relax. She leaned forward to grab her feet, enjoying the lengthening of the muscles in her back that had been stationary for too long.

When she sat back up, Thrawn told her again place herself on the bed. She settled into the middle, legs turned out casually, arms resting across her stomach. She closed her eyes, breathing deeply, trying to pull together all the pieces of herself orbiting around the room.

The foot of the bed dipped and her eyes shot open at when teeth pinched the inside of her thigh. 

Thrawn had an impish grin, at odds with his eyes that seemed to shift from glowing to smoldering like coals ready to ignite anything that comes in contact with their surface.

Without any other warning, he flicked his tongue against her clit a few times before circling it then dropped lower and licked the length of her opening, probing a few times then reversed the sequence. Like a nek full from their recent kill, he sat up and licked his lips, “I required a taste. I cannot allow Hera to hold that honor over me any longer.” He then nudged her legs apart and assumed a plank position, hovering just above her body, humming with anticipation.

She almost responded, almost allowed the comment to snap her back to someplace less pleasant but he successfully managed to switch off her mind with a pressure on her clit unlike any other. 

He was rolling his hips gently, watching her reaction. She stopped breathing for a time then quickly caught up with rapid shallow breaths, gasping for air. 

She realized it was the tip of his cock, the blunted finger shape almost made specifically for this purpose. Then again, maybe it was. Or maybe it was just an interesting use on human women. Whatever the purpose, she was thanking whatever celestial being brought her to this moment - a stream of curses whispered like a prayer tumbled from her mouth.

Then the colorful phrases collapsed into a single word repeated over and over with every breath - “please”

Thrawn’s smug smile returned, “‘Please’ what, Arihnda?”

She whined again, shifting her hips, hoping he might take the hint. Instead he stilled all movements, staring expectantly. 

“Please fuck me, sir. I need you inside me. Not want, need. Please.” She had never sounded so desperate in her life but she had no shame left. He had flayed her open and burrowed into her soul, now inextricably part of her in every way but one.

“Please, please, please,” she repeated.

“Begging sounds so good from your lips, especially when you’re under me. But you will be on top.” A whimper at the hand low on her waist, then he had rolled onto his back and she was now straddling his hips, leaning forward against his chest.

“Arihnda, please look at me.” She lifted her eyes but not her head, unsure she wouldn’t collapse back down against him. Being abandoned at the brink of orgasm so many times was starting to exhaust her. 

He feathered a hand up to her cheek, another one of those sweet versus dominant contradictions. “You will lower yourself slowly down onto me. Do not rush. It is as much for your benefit as mine. Do you understand?”

She nodded once, dropped her forehead onto his chest. He leaned up to press a kiss to the top of her head, whispering against her hair, “I need you too Arihnda. So badly it hurts. But there is no rush. If you need to wait…”

He was cut off with feverish kiss, a feral look in Arihnda’s eyes. She realized at some point, she wasn’t sure when, she stopped being ‘pet’ and was ‘Arihnda’.

“Thrawn, shut up,” she smiled at the use of his name and her bold taunt, sat up, lifted her hips and slowly lowered her aching cunt onto the tip of his cock. She braced herself against his chest, feeling it necessary to lean forward due to his extreme curvature. 

Then the first set of ridges rubbed against her opening, eliciting a soft exhalation as she rocked back and forth, enjoying the sensation even at this shallow depth. 

She continued to rock her hips against his in a languid wave, welcoming the searing from being stretched. 

For once it seemed Thrawn had nothing to say. He was watching her progress, both between their bodies and on her face. 

Then she worked her way to the second set of ridges, flexing her muscles to grip him tighter, and he moaned, lifting his hips to hers which caused her to cry out. Fear washed some of the color from Thrawn’s face, worried his involuntary reaction caused her unbearable pain.

Instead she dug her nails into his chest, leaving little moons and began resolutely trying to take the remainder - the round bulges - knowing it would be painful but determined to have him entirely.

She dropped her hips lower and spread her knees wide for greater leverage. 

“Do not hurt yourself. You feel like heaven as is.”

“But I want to. I need to feel all of you.”

He nodded, knowing this was becoming a point of pride for her. 

“Arihnda, look at me.”

She lifted her head, eyes sweeping up to meet his own that were so open she wanted to look away to avoid confronting the intensity of emotion roiling in the crimson depths. 

He flattened her hands on his chest, pressing them into the little cuts she had made. 

“Relax. Breathe.”

She took a few deep breaths, re-centering herself. Focusing on the delicious stretch inside her cunt and she lowered down, lifted, lowered, lifted, then lowered once more and groaned out something between a feral growl and a startled scream. 

Thrawn has reverted back to his native tongue again, eyes fluttering closed. He too needed to take a deep breath to steady himself then returned to speaking in basic, “positively decadent, you are so tightly wrapped around me - we are sharing this pain. Seeing you like this, concealing all of me inside of you.” He reached up to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, thumb shakily grazing her cheekbone and shook his head as off to dispel unwanted thoughts. “Tell me how you feel.”

She leaned into his palm, “Full. Complete. Proud.” A nervous half smile, as if admitting pride was ridiculous, “In pain but wanting more. I’d like to move now, if that’s ok with you?”

“Please, slowly.” He forced a sly grin, “I haven’t decided how we are going to end the evening.” 

She appreciated the attempt to lighten the heaviness that caused her to muscles to again grow tense. 

The thought there might be more was equal parts terrifying and intriguing but for now she would complete the task she had set for herself.

Thrawn dropped his hand from her face, released the one over his chest, and placed them lightly behind her hips, just above her ass.

Bending at the waist so she was nearly parallel to the bed, Arihinda pulled her hips forward and rolled them back, screaming in pleasure at the overwhelming mix of pain and blinding pleasure as the top of his cock and the accompanying ridges ground into her G-spot. Her mind blanked except for one thought: _more._

Thrawn’s moans were matching her screams and whimpers. She started to wonder if it was common for someone to bottom out while riding him but she pushed that thought away immediately, not wanting to revisit the unnecessary jealousy it might bring. She was here, now, and he was reacting to her in such an unguarded way that it made her beam even brighter at her accomplishment. She kept finding cracks in his veneer - thrilled to discover everything underneath.

“Fuck” was the only word he said, a whisper between breaths, as she increased speed but the rapid pace was causing the pain to move from enjoyable to actually troubling so she sat back at a 45 degree angle, not wanting to bend him uncomfortably, and placed a steadying hand on his torso, not trusting herself to stay up unassisted. 

His eyes were as glazed as hers felt. A devious smile crept across her face as she worked the muscles inside her cunt, imagining a hand tightening from pinky to index, to squeeze as much of his length as possible.

He roared. Not subtle, not metaphorically, he roared, deafening in the quiet of the room.

His arm shot out, captured the back of her head and pulled her forward into a searing kiss. His other hand shifted to the center of her back, exerting enough pressure to hold her in place, and he proceeded to fuck her from the bottom, roughly bucking his hips in a steady rhythm. He wasn’t pulling out much, just moving inside of her as she continued to contract around him - she aided by rolling her hips. She couldn’t do anything else. He broke the kiss and held her forehead against his, staring as he gritted his teeth, unrelenting.

The pressure was building inside of Arihnda again, this time feeling like nuclear fission, expanding to fill the container of her physical self. The tightness of their bodies providing some friction on her clit but it was wholly unnecessary. An added bonus to an already successful combination of stimulation - the pain still radiated though dull now, as the base of his cock was closer to human cocks she had before and familiar toys, it was the sensation deep inside and being physically controlled. She knew at any minute he could change the rules, pull out and drive himself back in with punishing force, flip her over, use her in any way he desired.

But his honest desire was clear and it ignited her soul: he needed to see her.

A trembling voice, shaking each time his hips rolled, “may I please cum, sir?”

“Not yet, soon, so soon. You will cum with me and you have me so close, so fucking close.”

She tightened everything inside of her, responding to him, knowing she would not be able to last much longer. 

Her decision paid off, with a strained whisper: “now, cum with me now.”

And then she detonated, no longer able to contain the energy that had grown inside her over the last few hours, last few months if she was honest. She felt positively euphoric - the mix of pain with her release sent her spiraling through the air, faintly aware she was still rocking as he emptied himself inside of her, warmth blooming as his exaggerated pulse filled her cunt, each thump- _thump_ an aftershock, its own small explosion. 

Collapsed against his chest, breathing starting to return to normal, hips and thighs beginning to stick together as their combined fluids leaked from her - very satisfied, very sore, and very much not caring about any messes made.

“Arihnda, I’m going to lift you up, ok? It shouldn’t hurt as much now.”

She nodded, limp and boneless and completely out of energy or shame.

He was right - the large bulges seemed to have deflated some and she giggled to herself, “I was right”. Except she said it out-loud.

“Right about what?” he asked, pulling a blanket over them both, rolling onto their sides, and rubbing her arms to bring warmth to her shivering body.  
“Hm?” she replied, absently aware she even had a voice.

“You said you were right about something.” a furrow formed at his brow.

“I did? Oh, I didn’t mean to...I wondered if those bulges at the bottom of your cock were equivalent to human male's balls.” a monumental effort to create an entire and logical sentence, undoubtedly slurred against the pillow. 

He laughed lightly, “yes I suppose you were right. They function in much the same manner.”

She assumed the sleeping position from their night together, arm over chest, head on shoulder, leg intertwined.

He indulged her for a few moments then shifted. “I hate to move you but I need to use the fresher and we aren’t done yet.” She sighed heavily and held onto him tighter. Laughter fell like a gentle rain all over her body. He kissed the top of her head and, resigned to the fact she wouldn’t move on her own, he slid out from underneath her body and padded through the door. 

She tried to think about what just happened, tried to analyze the situation but found herself unable to dedicate the brain power, either from exhaustion or force of will, and gave herself over fully to the present, fully content with her life at this exact moment.

Thrawn returned some time later, she had apparently dozed off. He woke her with a gentle brushing of his knuckles across her cheek, “Arihnda, I have one last thing for you to do.”

“Hm? Oh ok...can I get some caf first? I’m a little out of energy but..”

He pressed a finger to her lips and chuckled. “You won’t need much energy, I promise. I’ll even carry you if you want.”

“Mmm, ok, that would be nice.” She met his smile and shimmied over to the end of the bed. He picked her up, arms under knees and neck. “Haven’t we done this before?” she mused, except now she was naked and only non compliant because her bones had become gel, unable to support her own weight. 

They walked into the fresher, the lights were low, flickering and glowing and not above. Candles. The whole room smelled like Hapan roses. Thrawn stepped into the bathtub and carefully lowered Arihnda between his legs. It was a tight fit, the tub built for utility not luxury but it was pleasant regardless. The warm water lapped against her chest and bubbles tickled as she sank into him. Her eyes were closed when he commanded she open her mouth when he placed a small piece of dark chocolate on her tongue. “I interrupted your dinner, I hope this is sufficient until morning.” He fed her another piece and she made a sound of agreement and pleasure. 

His chest rumbled. They spent a few more moments enjoying bits of chocolate and soaking in the warmth of the water, the warmth of each other. 

Then Thrawn lathered a washcloth and gently wiped down her arms, her chest, her back. She moved as necessary. He then dipped below the water, dragging across her hips, her belly, her inner thighs. 

“Cleanliness is next to godliness,” she giggled, feeling punch-drink. 

“Something like that, yes.” he responded with a warm amused tone.

“Thrawn?”

“Yes, Arihnda?”

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For this” she spread her arms with a small splash, causing the water to ripple around them, “for coming back. For taking me out of my own head.” She turned as much as she could to lay her cheek against his chest and look up at his face.

“I would have done it sooner but I figured you’d shoot me on sight. Arihnda, I know I said I wouldn’t say it again but I am truly sorry. I should have told you as soon as I felt the spark. I…” he trailed off when he realized her eyes were closed, her breathing was steady. 

~__X__X__X__X__X__X__X~

He sighed dramatically but it was full of humor, “what am I going to do with you, Arihnda Pryce? Hm?”

Getting them both safely out of the water when Arihnda had decided it was funnier to make him do everything was a bit of a challenge but he managed. Wrapped in a towel he asked if she could lean against the wall while he remade the bed. Apparently he needed to specify she should stay standing because when he finished, she had slid down, knees bunched up to her chest. 

Once more, he lifted her into the bed, laid flat onto his back and did his best to arrange her into her preferred sleeping position. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head and whispered, “goodnight Arihnda.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was blessed with the [Spritz](https://bad-dragon.com/products/spritz) (NSFW link)


	10. Bubble (Epilogue)

_It's just like we're meant to be | Holding so we can break free | And I'll be your star if you'll be my galaxy | If it seems like you can rock this, then that's all I need_ [||+||](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tttaiSfi3MA)

 

They were having a quiet evening at home, exhausted from attended a small private play party the night before. Thrawn went to the conservator to grab dessert he had picked up earlier in the day: a small dark chocolate cake topped with fluffy white frosting, decorated with shimmering sprinkles.

“Do you need help?” Arihnda called from the dining room, having relocated from their bed. 

“No, pet, I’ll be right there.” 

“You know, we never did get to that human furniture scene last night.” When he returned she was seated at the table, completely naked with board straight posture, hands flat on the surface: her default position while awaiting a command

Shaking his head, he laughed, “you are going to be the death of me.” He set down the plate and moved over to her, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, “You have to eat all of your dessert before play time.” He sat back into his chair and commanded her to sit on his lap, always appreciating the dynamic that was magnified when she was fully naked and he was clothed. 

“Is this from The Pinnacle?” she was excited, even if it was just a small desert from the luxury restaurant.

“I believe it is your favorite, yes?”

“Mhmm. Would you like the first bite, sir?” The last word added on with a broad smile.

“No, please, you first.”

She swiped the fork through the top of the icing when it hit something solid. She turned to look at him with a quirked brow before setting the fork on the plate and using a napkin to wipe the object. She dropped it unceremoniously onto the napkin, back into some of the frosting she had just removed.

“Are...is this for real?”

“It is. This too.” He set the rectangular box on the table. She undid the wrapping found two items inside. One was a length of thick dark blue nerfhide, no coincidence that it matched his skin tone, with a large O ring grommeted to the center and a buckle on the end. The other was a delicate chain with a simple round pendant, but one side paved with shimmering blue stones, the other engraved: “my dearest pet”

Her head was spinning. Each of the items carried their own significance and it was all very heavy, and made her feel very much adored. 

Thrawn picked up the blue collar and put it around her neck, then the necklace. “Think of these as your day and your night collars, assuming you don’t object.” She shook her head no, a surprising surge of emotions tightening her throat. 

She hadn’t expected a collar since it was obvious who she belonged to when they went to parties and events. She had decided to fully submit to Thrawn long ago, but this collar would tell anyone shrewd enough to look in public and she glowed at the idea of proudly wearing his collar elsewhere. The weight of them both against her neck, her collarbone, like a welcome arm possessively holding her close. 

He then picked up the ring and held it up between two fingers. “I do hope you won’t object to this one either. Arihnda, would you like to be my wife?”

Arihnda smiled turning in his lap to lock him in a kiss, of course she would say yes, but there was a better way to respond, one that felt more natural and bound together every facet of their relationship, muttering against his lips she whispered, “Green.”


End file.
